Back in September, Google threw its hat into the game streaming service ring by announcing Project Stream, which lets users stream games directly to their Chrome browser. In 2018, Google allowed gamers to test out Project Stream by playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and 2019 could offer even more opportunities to use the service.
Google CEO Sundar Pinchai teased the future of Project Stream during the company’s recent earnings call, revealing that the feedback to the initial Project Stream test was “super positive.” Google is “excited” to keep building Project Stream and its low-latency game streaming, saying that it will “help us drive the newer computing platforms we’re working on.”
While Pinchai didn’t detail Google’s Project Stream plans exactly, the CEO did confirm that “you will see us do more there in 2019.” This could mean that Google conducts lengthier testing periods for the service and that more people will be invited into them, or that players have lots more games to choose from. The performance of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on the platform may well have encouraged other developers and publishers to follow Ubisoft’s lead and let Google test their games on Project Stream too.
Whatever Google is planning for Project Stream in 2019, the tech giant won’t be alone in its plans to dominate the space. Just last month, reports suggested that iPhone maker Apple is planning its own “Netflix for games,” as it hopes to cut itself a slice of the game streaming service pie.
Additionally, game streaming is expected to be a major feature of the PS5 and the next Xbox. Analysts believe that Sony will expand its PlayStation Now streaming service and Microsoft has already shown its interest in new gaming services, having launched the Xbox Game Pass program.
With Google competing for those subscription dollars, this could be good news for gamers and may lead to special deals and competitive pricing. But it may also lead to exclusives, as each company tries to set its service apart based on the library of games it offers.
Source: WCCFTech
