Google announces browser-based streaming game service - Stadia

SUMMARY

Alphabet Inc's Google announced on Tuesday that it would launch this year a browser-based video game streaming service dubbed Stadia that attempts to capitalise on the company's cloud technology and global network of data centres. The technology allows users to play games through their internet browser or YouTube without waiting for content to be downloaded to a device, making access to games potentially as easy as watching a video from YouTube. But Google offered scant details on timing, pricing or available titles for the service, which faces potentially tough competition from game publishers and from rivals including Amazon.com Inc and Microsoft Corp. With Stadia, the "waiting game will be a thing of the past," Phil Harrison, a Google vice president overseeing the new service, said during a keynote presentation on Tuesday in San Francisco at the Game Developers Conference, which is bringing together this week about 25,000 people who work in the video games industry. Google declined to say how it would price its technology to consumers or game makers or specify supported games. It demonstrated titles from the Doom and Assassin's Creed franchises on Tuesday and said that it would be developing some games in-house. The streaming technology offers a fresh way for Google to pitch game publishers on its cloud computing and data storage services, which ultimately could generate more revenue for Google than game sales.

By ReutersMar 20, 2019 11:29:10 AM IST (Published)

Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during a Google keynote address announcing a new video gaming streaming service named Stadia that attempts to capitalise on the company's cloud technology and global network of data centers, at the Gaming Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Google vice president and general manager Phil Harrison speaks during a Google keynote address announcing a new video gaming streaming service named Stadia. San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during a Google keynote address announcing a new video gaming streaming service named Stadia. San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Google vice president Majd Bakar speaks during a Google keynote address announcing a new video gaming streaming service named Stadia. San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Spectators gather prior to the Google keynote address at the Gaming Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Google vice president and general manager Phil Harrison shows a gaming console during a Google keynote address announcing a new video gaming streaming service named Stadia. San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Google vice president and general manager Phil Harrison speaks during a Google keynote address announcing a new video gaming streaming service named Stadia. San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Spectators look on during a Google keynote address announcing a new video gaming streaming service named Stadia. San Francisco, California, US, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam