Cloud gaming, on paper, seems like a great idea for the future of gaming. But it did not take the world by storm. But why didn’t it? Will it become the main way of playing the latest video games available? And most importantly. What actually is cloud gaming and how do you use it? I’ll answer all of these questions today.
What is cloud gaming?
To put it as simply as I can, cloud gaming works like a video streaming service like Netflix, Disney+, etc. The games you play are launched by a powerful physical computer in a remote server room somewhere relatively close to your location.
After your desired title is launched, the video from that computer is streamed to your device’s screen. Then, all that is left for you is to enjoy your gaming session.
That means you skip the part of buying an expensive gaming PC or a console and just pay a subscription fee and enjoy your games. But it is a bit more complicated than this, which I’ll explain in a moment.
How does cloud gaming work?
As I said, your games are launched in a server room on a very powerful PC, and the video from said computer is streamed to your device.
All cloud gaming services use a subscription model. You pay a monthly or yearly fee and you can use their services. Some of them will even have the games included in your plan. So, if you’re a person now willing to spend thousands of dollars on a cutting-edge gaming PC, cloud gaming might be the perfect solution for you.
The most important thing with using cloud gaming is your internet connection. For the best results, you should use a fiber connection and plug into your device with an ethernet cord. Cloud does work on Wi-Fi, but I would suggest having a device with the latest Wi-Fi tech available (Wi-Fi 6E or even newer). Personally, I had the best experience on my smartphone, which is iPhone 14 Pro.
Depending on the device you use to play games in the cloud, you use a controller, touch screen, or a mouse and keyboard and the cloud service processes your inputs in real-time. Controllers, like an Xbox Gamepad, are pretty universally supported. Usually, the mouse and keyboard are as well, since the games are often the PC version.
What will you need for cloud gaming?
The three necessary things you’ll need are a screen, a controller and a strong internet connection. Since a lot of services simply use a web browser to run, you can use a lot of devices to stream your games. Your smartphone, tablet, TV, laptop, handheld console, you name it. Cloud gaming has become extremely convenient over the years.
As I said, the Bluetooth gamepads, mouse and keyboard, and even a touch screen are viable options to control your games, so you have plenty of options. Not much more to say here. They all work as intended, but the infamous input lag is where things get a bit difficult. But more on that in the pros and cons part later.
The crucial thing you need is a great internet connection. If you want to game with Wi-Fi, I would recommend a 1 Gigabit fiber connection and a device with the latest Wi-Fi standard. On that kind of setup, you should be able to enjoy cloud gaming with a very reasonable input lag and have fun. But the best solution is simply connecting via an ethernet port. If you own a smart TV, a Macbook, or a cheaper, nongaming laptop, you can take advantage of a wired connection and game with the best possible outcome.
Pros and cons of cloud gaming
Cloud gaming seems like a perfect solution for anyone looking to game anywhere on any device, but in reality, it comes with a bunch of obstacles. On the one hand, you actually can do all that. You can play anywhere and on basically any screen. On the other, the experience varies depending on the connection speed and strength.
Cloud gaming has been around for years and people behind these services work hard to get them as playable and seamless as they can. The first attempts date back all the way to 2003, but it wasn’t until Nvidia introduced its Nvidia Grid, now known as GeForce Now. And that was the service I started my cloud gaming experience with. I finished Cyberpunk 2077 on a quite old Macbook plugged into wired internet and outputting via HDMI to my TV. And I gotta say. As a more casual experience, I was very satisfied with the results. I put around 60 hours into the game and finished the main storyline. So if you ask me if cloud gaming can give you a good enough experience right now, I’ll say it definitely can.
The biggest upside of gaming in the cloud is having to run the games at the ultra settings without a care. After all, it’s the service provider that’s doing the heavy lifting with each game. You just need a good connection. And I can tell you, Cyberpunk with ultra settings and ray tracing looks stunning. I would not be able to experience it the same way unless I bought a very expensive PC for myself. Later I finished it a second time on Xbox Series X and it was all good, but I have to say it didn’t look as pretty.
So the cost, ultra settings option, and convenience are what could get you into cloud gaming. Not to mention there are plenty of services on the market right now. But again, there are some downsides to cloud gaming which are hard to miss.
The most obvious one is, as I said many times here, the limitations of the internet connection you are using. Let’s say you want to play some games on the road. Most likely you depend on your mobile internet, which can have terrible connectivity in some places. Sometimes you’ll lose the signal completely. That means the best way to experience cloud gaming is from the comfort of your living room with fast internet. Which is not that bad if you think about it. Not that many people look for ways to play on the go. But if you are, I think getting a handheld like a Steam Deck or a Nintendo Switch will suit your needs much better.
The next issue is input lag, which will be noticeable even with a great connection. I don’t think any pro gamer would even consider a cloud service, but also, I think many gamers will notice the lag while playing. My perfect setup is gaming on my Xbox and if the TV is unavailable I switch to my phone or laptop and play via Xbox Cloud Gaming. I’m not the person to notice the input lag that much, and I like to have options, so that is my solution to being able to play as much as I want.
In conclusion, the cloud experience is a good add-on to playing locally on hardware or even a stand-alone solution if you want to game on a budget. It’s good enough to play wired and even wireless if the tech and connection speed are adequate.
Known Cloud Gaming services
At the moment there are plenty of options if you want to check cloud gaming out. I won’t go into full detail here, but you’ll get the essentials.
The most popular cloud gaming services right now are:
– Xbox Cloud Gaming
– Playstation Now
– GeForce Now
– Shadow
– Amazon Luna
There are many more actually, but usually not as popular or simply not as good.
So, if you ask me, I will recommend Xbox and GeForce over any other at the moment. If you’re subscribed to Game Pass, you already have access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and, since it’s Game Pass, you get a big catalog of games to choose from, and don’t have to pay additionally for them. The service is well prepared. You can use any browser to start gaming in the cloud, so if you use a computer, smartphone, or even a smart TV, you’re good to go. Just plug in a Bluetooth controller and you can play the games. The only trade-off is having to play at 1080p 60FPS.
The other one would be the Geforce Now. The reason I recommend it is their experience with cloud gaming. The service has been around for years now, and the experience is really good with good connectivity. Unfortunately, you need to own the games you want to play. There are over 1500 titles available. You can add your libraries from stores like Steam, Epic Games Store, or GOG. Since it’s Nvidia you have rigs with GeForce RTX 4080 and playing up to 4K 120FPS.
Out of the rest of them, Shadow is a very interesting deal too. With it, you get access to a fully-fledged high-performance PC. That means you can use it for much more than just gaming. And it allows you to play almost anything available for PCs.
Playstation Now and Amazon Luna are also good choices but didn’t catch my attention as much as the rest of the services.
Summary
Cloud gaming still has a long way to go, but it is good enough to be considered a great alternative to physical gaming platforms. If you’re rocking a stable and fast internet, you will be happy with the results. Hopefully mobile internet will soon get fast and stable enough to support cloud gaming fully on the go.
The best thing about it is a chance to play awesome games in their full settings glory and with up to 4K 144FPS (depending on the service), so you don’t have to spend thousands of hard-earned dollars on a high-end PC.
I definitely recommend checking even a few options available to see if any of them suit you at the moment. Cloud gaming isn’t replacing local gaming any time soon, but as an additional option to play your games, it should be more than welcome.
Thank you for reading. Happy Cloud Gaming!
