Julius Posted February 20, 2019 Posted February 20, 2019 I wasn't quite sure where to put the below news about Google, so I figured I'd make a dedicated thread for this year's GDC, seeing as it's lining up to be a year of note for the conference, as news has also circulated recently that Microsoft would be present to talk about Xbox Live coming to iOS, Android and the Nintendo Switch. It was announced today that Google will be holding a mysterious gaming-related event for the media at 18:00 BST on March 19th, during GDC 2019, with the tone being set for the event very different to previous keynotes that they've held at the conference in recent years; it seems that they'll have something to show: As reported by Kotaku's Jason Schreier last year, Google's been making moves on the gaming industry throughout the 2010s, last year going so far as to holding meetings with major video game companies during GDC 2018 to gauge their interest in their streaming platform, believed to be codenamed Yeti, as well as reportedly courting a number of development studios during last year's E3 -- not with the aim of simply wooing them over with Yeti by their side, but with the prospect of outright purchasing them. Supposedly, as talked about by Schreier in his article last year, their service will take a three-pronged approach: 1. A streaming platform. 2. A form of hardware. 3. Attempts to bring developers under the Google umbrella, by way of aggressive recruiting or even major acquisitions. As many here will be aware, Google held public tests of a streaming platform - Project Stream - towards the end of last year, which came to an end just last month, with Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Odyssey being the only game available for these public tests. For those unaware, Project Stream streamed the game through Google Chrome. Could we see hardware next month from Google? A more concrete idea of their plans for gaming? Have they made any major acquisitions already that are to be announced at GDC? And let's not forget Microsoft: what does bringing Xbox Live to iOS, Android and Switch really mean, and how does it fit into their plans for Project Scarlett and xCloud? It seems like the biggest GDC in recent years is knocking on the door -- and I have no doubt that it will be an interesting one, giving us more perspective on the potential future of gaming, whichever way it goes. 1 2
Dcubed Posted February 20, 2019 Posted February 20, 2019 Looks to be a pretty exciting event this year! Looking forward to seeing what Google are cooking up!
Hero-of-Time Posted February 20, 2019 Posted February 20, 2019 I usually don't take much notice of this event but the Microsoft presentation has me intrigued about just what they are setting up for in the future.
Aperson Posted February 20, 2019 Posted February 20, 2019 Google entering the gaming industry as a major manufacturer would be the biggest shakeup to the industry since Microsoft joined. And if they're the first to use a streaming platform then they have a high chance of success if streaming games catches on. However, no doubt there would be in-game ads on the service and Google would collect every piece of information about what you are playing...
S.C.G Posted February 20, 2019 Posted February 20, 2019 I won't give a penny to Google for anything game related that they try to flog us, yes I get that they have the technology but most of what they use it for is questionable at best. From a technological aspect, sure... it'll be interesting if you really want to stream games but beyond that I can't see them releasing anything physical. If it's anything, it'll be a small "unassuming" box that just sits underneath your TV and will let you stream certain games for £20 a month or whatever. Yes, OK... I get it, there's market appeal for something like that if there's a library of 10,000 games to choose from but I just can't see the point personally. If gaming goes completely streaming based in the future, I probably just won't bother with it any more and will be happy enough playing whatever physical games I have. I get that the future of gaming can be exciting but certain elements of it potentially fill me with dread, I can't be the only one who doesn't want an "all digital" future? Anyway, we shall see what happens, for now I'll try to remain cautiously optimistic. 4
Hero-of-Time Posted February 20, 2019 Posted February 20, 2019 12 minutes ago, S.C.G said: If gaming goes completely streaming based in the future, I probably just won't bother with it any more and will be happy enough playing whatever physical games I have. I get that the future of gaming can be exciting but certain elements of it potentially fill me with dread, I can't be the only one who doesn't want an "all digital" future? It's going to happen eventually, whether we like it or not ( I don't ). You just have to look at how game sales are starting to lean more heavily towards digital now rather than physical. There's also the point that games may still be bought in a store but how many are actually going to be playable in years to come? A lot of games these days need patches just to actually function properly and even if you have the cart or disc there is a high chance that the game won't work as intended without the patch. Even the Switch is facing this issue, with a few games needed huge downloads so they actually run. When the servers for these patches shutdown then you a left with something that can't really be played. How many modern games on my shelf will I actually be able to dip back into in years to come? It wont be as simple as slotting an old cartridge into a retro console. 1
Aperson Posted February 20, 2019 Posted February 20, 2019 If they want an all digital future for gaming then Hard Drive spaces on consoles need to be massively upgraded because there's not a lot of room to install gaming collections as it is. I had to delete the Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 Collection from the PS4 so that there was enough space to run Kingdom Hearts 3... and that's through physical copies of both! 1
Julius Posted February 21, 2019 Author Posted February 21, 2019 Just going to shamelessly quote my post from the Switch thread pertaining to Xbox Live et al coming to Switch: Quote According to NateDrake over on ResetEra (from what I'm reading he's reliable), apparently Xbox Games Pass, xCloud, and at least one game which was due to be Microsoft exclusive (namely Pro), will be coming to the Switch. This follows from the announcement a few weeks ago that Xbox Live was coming to Switch, iOS, and Android, which will be explained further during a panel at GDC next month.
Sheikah Posted February 22, 2019 Posted February 22, 2019 If they want an all digital future for gaming then Hard Drive spaces on consoles need to be massively upgraded because there's not a lot of room to install gaming collections as it is. I had to delete the Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 Collection from the PS4 so that there was enough space to run Kingdom Hearts 3... and that's through physical copies of both!Wouldn't make a difference, whether you buy a PS4 game on disc or digital the install size is pretty much the same.
Aperson Posted February 22, 2019 Posted February 22, 2019 4 hours ago, Sheikah said: On 2/20/2019 at 10:32 PM, GenericAperson said: If they want an all digital future for gaming then Hard Drive spaces on consoles need to be massively upgraded because there's not a lot of room to install gaming collections as it is. I had to delete the Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 Collection from the PS4 so that there was enough space to run Kingdom Hearts 3... and that's through physical copies of both! Wouldn't make a difference, whether you buy a PS4 game on disc or digital the install size is pretty much the same. If that's the case, what are they even putting on the disc in the first place?
Julius Posted February 22, 2019 Author Posted February 22, 2019 13 minutes ago, GenericAperson said: If that's the case, what are they even putting on the disc in the first place? My limited understanding is that it's practically just an install key these days. You insert the disc, but these days, games are far too large to be read back in real-time by the disc drive, so games require installation before they can be played (as is the case if you're installing a physical or digital copy of the game). In the case of physical copies, after the game has been installed from the disc, my (again, limited) understanding is that they basically become a key to access that game on the console. Physical copies still have a number of consumer benefits these days -- resale, no fear of losing everything digitally attached to an account, being able to install a game without the need for internet access, sharing copies, etc. -- over their digital brethren, but as the gaming market continues to lean towards a digital future, I'm curious to see how many more generations physical gaming can hold out.
Goafer Posted February 23, 2019 Posted February 23, 2019 I don't mind downloading games digitally, but streaming would just be awful. You'd lose half of gamers to shit internet connections (not everywhere has fibre, or any chance of getting it in the near future). Even for those who do, we already complain when a game requires a constant connection for DRM, streaming would turn every game into this (albeit for different reasons). If the future was streaming, it would be the thing that finally stopped me gaming. Digital downloads I'd live with, but I still prefer discs. As someone who likes to collect games, I wonder what happens when these games are no longer hosted. What happens in a decade or two and I want to go back and play a certain game and I didn't leave it on the hard drive? Not all games will get the semi regular remake/remaster like Shadow of the Colossus or make it to a classics library like the GTA series. Imagine digital only had started on the PS1, then think of the PS classic and the current PS1 library on the store. Would you be happy only being able to access the games that Sony wanted you to play/could get the licence for? Had the PS1 been digital only, you'd never be able to play the Tony Hawk series again, because no one could re-secure the music licenses. Same goes for the Gran Turismo games. 5
Sheikah Posted February 23, 2019 Posted February 23, 2019 If that's the case, what are they even putting on the disc in the first place?For people who don’t want digital, basically. You can still share physical copies too.
Aperson Posted February 23, 2019 Posted February 23, 2019 So the discs are basically tools by which they get you to download the game? I'm not surprised, the game industry has become increasingly profit first over the last decade and you're no longer paying for the actual game, but rather a license to play the ghame. My point still stands though, they need to allow for the possibility that someone might want to keep a gaming collection. Small hard drive promotes gaming expendability and while that might be fine for most people who only care about current games and wonder why on earth someone would ever want to play an old game, when the servers get shut down these game discs won't do much good unless they still have the installation on the console from when the servers were up. Then again, I guess that's why remasters exist...
Julius Posted March 13, 2019 Author Posted March 13, 2019 Interesting interview from Inside Xbox with Kareem Choudhry on Project xCloud, where he reveals that public trials are coming this year:
Aperson Posted March 13, 2019 Posted March 13, 2019 After seeing that Xbox video I'm now convinced that there won't be a new Xbox console and this streaming service is effectively the successor. Combined with what Google are doing and there seems to be a split among culture as to where gaming is heading. American companies like Microsoft and Google are pushing ahead with killing consoles in favour of their own streaming services while the Japanese companies like Sony and Nintendo are pushing forward to stay on consoles and custom gaming devices with Nintendo continuing to support the Switch and Sony preparing the PS5. It's going to be interesting to see how this all pans out...
Dcubed Posted March 13, 2019 Posted March 13, 2019 1 hour ago, GenericAperson said: After seeing that Xbox video I'm now convinced that there won't be a new Xbox console and this streaming service is effectively the successor. Combined with what Google are doing and there seems to be a split among culture as to where gaming is heading. American companies like Microsoft and Google are pushing ahead with killing consoles in favour of their own streaming services while the Japanese companies like Sony and Nintendo are pushing forward to stay on consoles and custom gaming devices with Nintendo continuing to support the Switch and Sony preparing the PS5. It's going to be interesting to see how this all pans out... They've already pubilcly announced the next Xbox console. There's definitely a successor to the Xbox One coming in the form of a traditional console; but the question remains about how long it'll remain their focus... With Microsoft's full first party lineup now coming and available on PC and with rumblings of Game Pass and actual native ports of first party titles coming to Switch; one wonders how long they will be focusing on producing actual Xbox hardware for... We'll find out soon enough though! And Google throwing their hat into the ring is terribly exciting (and terribly terrifying!)
Aperson Posted March 14, 2019 Posted March 14, 2019 8 hours ago, Mandalore said: Don't let Ubisoft anywhere near Google Maps. Google Earth Open World game confirmed!
Ike Posted March 14, 2019 Posted March 14, 2019 1 minute ago, GenericAperson said: Google Earth Open World game confirmed! Rabbids Go.
Dcubed Posted March 16, 2019 Posted March 16, 2019 On 3/14/2019 at 8:55 PM, GenericAperson said: Google Earth Open World game confirmed! Wasn't that basically the prototype for Pokemon Go?
Glen-i Posted March 16, 2019 Posted March 16, 2019 6 hours ago, Dcubed said: Wasn't that basically the prototype for Pokemon Go? What? Ingress? 1
Dcubed Posted March 16, 2019 Posted March 16, 2019 1 minute ago, Glen-i said: What? Ingress? Lol, I suppose it was; but I was actually referring to this... https://www.businessinsider.com/pokemon-go-was-first-an-april-fools-joke-at-google-2016-7?r=US&IR=T
Julius Posted March 19, 2019 Author Posted March 19, 2019 Google's Gaming Announcement starts in just over half an hour: Should be an interesting one! Wonder if they could end up taking PlayStation's place at E3 this year...
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