A reader offers his view on the sudden rise of streaming and the positive, and negative, ways it could change gaming.
With the news that Googles Project Stream is already up and working surprising well, and that Microsoft is very confident about Project xCloud, it seems that streaming video games has gone from far off vision to imminent reality in the space of just a few days.
It was always going to be the future of gaming, but I dont think many expected it arrive so quickly, especially as it makes it almost inevitable that itll be the centrepiece of the next generation. What we have to ask ourselves though, as gamers, is whether this is actually a good thing?
It may sound counter-intuitive but new technology does not always have a positive effect on games, the most obvious example being the rise of smartphones. Its hard to think of anything positive theyve brought to the industry but things like microtransactions, loot boxes, touch controls, rampant plagiarism, and reducing the perceived worth of games have all had a negative effect on console and PC games.
Advertisement
Advertisement
It seems inevitable streaming will instantly become popular with the wider public as the whole point is that it allows you to play top-end PC quality games with any device. Having games be more widely popular is good, of course, but if someone hasnt already got a console then that means they havent already got a controller and so any streamed game is going to have to have an alternative control scheme that is presumably entirely touchscreen based.
Not only does that sound terrible from a design point of view but it also runs the risk that games will from then on be designed with touch controls, not as a secondary option, but the primary way youre meant to play them. And that is going to destroy the potential nuance and complexity of console games. Unless you think controlling something as complex as Assassins Creed with a touchscreen sounds like a good idea.
The only other real negative is the quality of broadband connection youll need and although feedback from Project Stream seems good you do have to worry that good enough will become the industry standard when it comes to issues like latency and consistent frame rate. Casual gamers dont tend to care about such things and if they become a much larger majority then there could be trouble.
To me though the benefits seem worth the risk. Being able to use state-of-the-art hardware without actually having that hardware in the room with you is proper sci-fi. It changes the whole nature of PC gaming overnight and reduces consoles to nothing but a back-up device for the hardcore.
Advertisement
Advertisement
And while you might worry that with a bigger casual audience publishers will rush to create more dumbed-down content, abandoning their current bread and butter, a vastly expanded audience and market should lead to more money and opportunities for all. Its essentially the democratising of video games, putting them in the hands of everyone and ensuring them the same level of visibility as movies and TV.
The big caveat here is Ive not used streaming tech yet and I imagine most people reading this havent either, so I dont personally know whether it works or not. Games companies have a terrible habit of pushing technology before its ready but even if theyre a few years ahead of themselves it seems like the future of gaming is clear and, mostly, positive.
By reader Benjydog
The readers feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email [email protected] and follow us on Twitter.
Advertisement
Advertisement
