Google on Tuesday unveiled a video-game streaming platform called Stadia, positioning itself to take on the traditional video-game business. The platform will store a game-playing session in the cloud and lets players jump across devices operating on Google's Chrome browser and Chrome OS, such as Pixel phones and Chromebooks.
Google didn't say how much its new service will cost, whether it will offer subscriptions or other options, or what games will be available at launch -all key elements to the success of a new video-game platform. It said only that Stadia will be available in late 2019.
Google made the announcement at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Some industry watchers were expecting a streaming console, but Google's platform centers squarely on the company's cloud infrastructure. "The new generation of gaming is not a box," said Google Vice President Phil Harrison. "The data center is your platform."
Much like movies and music, the traditional video-game industry has been shifting from physical hardware and games to digital downloads and streaming. Video-game streaming typically requires a strong connection and more computing power than simply streaming video, since there is real-time interaction between player and game. Google says it is leveraging its data centers to power the system.
Alphabet Inc.'s Google said playing video games will be as simple as pressing a "Play Now" button, with nothing to download or install. An optional dedicated Stadia controller will be available. The WiFi-enabled controller has a button that lets players launch a microphone and use Google Assistant to ask questions about the games being played. Another button lets users share gameplay directly to Google's video streaming service, YouTube.
Harrison said he expects all gaming will eventually take place outside consoles, in cloud-powered streaming platforms similar to what Google announced. But not right away. "It won't replace traditional games devices overnight," he said in an interview after the announcement. "And we wouldn't be here if not for the existing traditional platforms." CFRA Research analyst Scott Kessler said Google's approach that ties YouTube sharing and video-game playing is unique.