Google’s Streaming Platform Stadia: Everything You Need to Know

Google’s future of gaming, Stadia, looks very promising.

The world of technology is evolving day by day, and there seems to be no end to the surprises that are planned for the consumers. People were still chattering about a few awesome technological innovations, the new iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X when Google turned the tides. The tech giant has announced that it plans to launch a game streaming service known as Stadia that will run off Google’s global servers and will revolutionize the video game industry that has a worth of billions (It was around USD 43.4 billion in 2018 to be precise).

 

If it becomes a reality, Stadia will negate the need to buy a console because users will be able to run the system off existing devices such as a smart TV or mobiles that support Google’s Chrome browser and Chrome OS. The users will also be able to use the cloud-based platform to play anywhere and anytime they wish. Though Google didn’t reveal details on how much data will be needed or the required internet speed for using the platform, it is estimated that both will need to be on a higher side to make the most of Stadia.

 

The best part about Stadia is that you don’t even need to download a game to enjoy it. You can simply click on the Play Now button and get started. YouTube, the video sharing website that is owned by the parent company of Google, Alphabet will also host a Play Now button. Stadia will allow users to make use of Wi-Fi and connect directly to the data centre. Users can also make use of existing USB controllers or splurge on new Stadia controllers.

 

If you are playing a game via Stadia, and you have made a mark, you’ll be able to share your achievements on YouTube by using the Capture button. In case you need help, you’ll be able to seek it from Google Assistant.

 

The graphics processing unit or GPU of Stadia is expected to be 10.7 teraflops, which is higher than teraflops offered by top two gaming boxes, Xbox One X that has 6.0 teraflops and PlayStation 4 Pro which has 4.2 teraflops. Teraflops is essential in gaming because they play a key part in helping a player to move around in the virtual world.

 

Stadia is expected to stream games at resolutions of up to 4K, but it is expected to reach 8K resolutions in the near future. The unique game streaming service might be launched in 2019 in the US, the UK, Canada and some parts of Europe. There is no clarity on pricing or the exact launch date, especially in Australia.

 

Stadia is also expected to be a cross-platform which is great news for people who like some healthy competition. It will allow you to play against several Stadia users. You will also have access to endless games that are ported to the platform by developers. Porting the games would hardly be an issue as six publishers including Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey have already committed that they will add their biggest titles to Stadia.

 

You will be able to access games on a subscription basis, and you will be free to decide whether you want to play a game via a dedicated portal on YouTube or you want to try Stadia’s own platform/ Google will launch a unique and perfectly compatible controller when it launches Stadia to enhance user experience.

 

Google has also thought about the developers while creating Stadia. This is evident by the fact that game developers can easily apply their design styles to titles that are on Stadia. Developers can make use of a machine learning based style transfer tool that allows them to drop an image onto the video frames of the games and ensure that the style is mimicked throughout.

 

The announcement of Stadia by Google has come as a pleasant surprise for the game lovers who are tired of being tied to gaming consoles. But, it’s not very heartening news for brands like Apple and Nvidia (a gaming graphics provider), both of whom are working on their own cloud-based gaming services, details of which are not shared yet!