Cloud gaming seems like a genius idea at face value. Gamers can avoid waiting hours, or in some cases days, for video games to install onto consoles and they don’t have to worry about having enough storage to download files – just look at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare which required a whopping 235GB to install.
Having already spent two years implementing smaller mobile apps into its site, Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) said it would be heading deeper into the cloud gaming space, with a select group currently testing its “game streaming technology” as well as a new phone-based controller.
Stadia
Sony’s PlayStation plus cloud streaming, Microsoft’s Xbox cloud gaming and Amazon’s Luna make it a tough and crowded industry to move into however, and Google’s Arcadia learnt about the trials and tribulations first hand.
Launched in 2019 by Google, Stadia was a digital cloud-based gaming service which could be accessed through phones and the chrome browser, and its service even sparked the release of a controller which players could attach their mobile device to.
Source Tom's Hardware
Ultimately it was cancelled in 2022, due to the search engine giant looking to trim costs, and the servers were shut down in January, with thousands of users receiving refunds, free subscriptions and free hardware as an apology from Google.
Having a good enough wi-fi connection has often been the biggest problem for cloud gaming services, with those who don’t have superfast connections usually suffering from the game buffering, freezing or the quality being reduced.
While most companies say the average wi-fi upload speed of 25Mbps should meet the requirements, distance and the reliability of the servers is just as important.
“The truth of the matter is that cloud gaming is still a beta service until these issues can be figured out,” said Jason England at LaptopMag.
Current workarounds exist like using ‘remote play’ which requires a console to be always turned on, but with electricity bills soaring, these methods aren’t ideal.
Netflix's chance
Yet, Netflix’s approach may be different enough to succeed.
Adding smaller size games which do not require an online connection, means it will be a lot easier for users to play without being interrupted by the game lagging or disconnecting.
Another benefit is consumers don’t expect their Netflix subscription to come with the latest AAA video games - unlike Xbox, PlayStation or even Stadia - and therefore are much more likely to see the games as an additional treat.
Oxenfree, one of the Netflix games in beta testing Source Nintendo
Of course, when the next round of cost cutting occurs at Netflix, its gaming studio may be looked at as one of the first to go.