Google unveils Stadia cloud gaming platform

Google revealed that it will wade into the gaming market as it unveiled its Stadia digital platform on Tuesday, a device which the tech giant said will allow gamers to play without the need for discs or downloads.

The platform, which is intended to work on existing desktops, laptops, TVs and phones at launch, will stream better-than-console-quality games and will be released alongside a controller that allows players to share content directly to YouTube.

The ability to stream games would negate the need for gamers to purchase existing consoles that have normally have price tags of more than £200, opening up access to triple A titles to millions of potential customers who have not been willing to stump up the cash for a console or high-end PC.

However, on barrier to entry remains as the technology will naturally require a constant high-speed internet connection, with Google recommending a connection of “approximately 25 Mbps” for 1080p resolution at 60 fps.

Google is targeting a launch this year in the US, UK, Canada and Europe, with id Software's newest installment of the infamous Doom franchise set to be one of the first available titles.

Serban Koto of games industry consultancy firm Kantan Games tweeted: "Stadia looks very ambitious, but how much is the controller, how much is the service, what games do we get, how will ownership work, and how much does it cost to develop, publish and run games on Stadia?"

The issue of attracting developers to the platform will be essential for Google, as a platform with no exclusive titles is clearly not going to last long in such a competitive market.

Ubisoft's Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which released on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC back in October, while previously mentioned launch title Doom: Eternal will also on all of these other major platforms.

Ragnar Tørnquist, founder of Red Thread Games, said: "I’ve always been super-sceptical about streaming games,I was told 10 years ago it was going to be everything, and I said no, that’s impossible. But I do think this is the beginning of a sea-change."

Microsoft's Games Stack and EA's Project Atlas are similar projects, indicating that consoles such as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 may become a thing of the past as cloud gaming becomes the future of the hobby.

Attempts at similar technology have been made in the past, perhaps most notably with OnLive which launched in June 2010 shutdown in April 2015 after a mixed critical reception due to issues with lag and video quality.