Cloud gaming
Encyclopedia
Cloud gaming, also called gaming on demand, is a type of online gaming
that allows direct and on-demand streaming of games onto a computer, similar to video on demand
, through the use of a thin client
, in which the actual game is stored on the operator's or game company's server
and is streamed directly to computers accessing the server through the client. This allows access to games without the need of a console
and largely makes the capability
of the user's computer unimportant, as the server is the system that is running the processing needs. The controls and button presses from the user are transmitted directly to the server, where they are recorded, and the server then sends back the game's response to the input controls. This process works swiftly without notable latency allowing interactive high action game play. Furthermore, a low-level internet connection will also work with the server connection, with only a "DSL connection of 1.5 mbps" needed for a standard-definition television
.
and compression
to stream game content directly to a subscriber. Game content isn't stored on the user's machine and game code execution occurs primarily at the server so a less powerful computer can be used than the game would normally require.
began research on a cloud gaming solution in 2005 for their game Crysis
, but halted development in 2007 to wait until the infrastructure and cable net providers were up for the task.
On November 18, 2010, SFR
launched commercial GoD service on IPTV
powered by G-cluster technology.
On March 10, 2010, OnLive officially launched. The OnLive Game Service then turned on in the US on June 17, 2010, at an initial monthly service fee of $4.95, plus the cost of games and the OnLive microconsole. However, this fee was not to be applied for a year while OnLive worked out their business model and anyone who signed up during 2010 would not be charged until 2011 as well as have their account marked as a "founding member". Later, the fee was removed altogether as part of a review of this business model and as of October 2010, there are no plans to reintroduce this fee to simply use the service.
On February 27, 2011, Gaikai
, which allows game publishers and others to embed free streaming gameplay trials on their web sites, launched its open beta with games from Electronic Arts
including Dead Space 2
, Mass Effect 2
, and Sims 3. Gaikai-enabled games can be embedded directly inside websites, on Facebook, or on mobile devices and IPTVs. In spring 2011, Gaikai went live with multiple partnerships including Walmart and The Escapist
, as well as announcing deals with Eurogamer
and Capcom
. Gaikai-enabled games stream from within web browsers without requiring downloads, special plug-ins, or registration, and can be activated by clicking on an enabled advertisement or visiting a Gaikai-powered game destination.
On April 28, 2011, Free, a French Internet service provider
, launched "GameTree TV", a gaming on demand platform for the Freebox
Revolution, its advanced IPTV set-top-box. The service is based on the GameTree TV platform by TransGaming Inc.
Online game
An online game is a game played over some form of computer network. This almost always means the Internet or equivalent technology, but games have always used whatever technology was current: modems before the Internet, and hard wired terminals before modems...
that allows direct and on-demand streaming of games onto a computer, similar to video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
, through the use of a thin client
Thin client
A thin client is a computer or a computer program which depends heavily on some other computer to fulfill its traditional computational roles. This stands in contrast to the traditional fat client, a computer designed to take on these roles by itself...
, in which the actual game is stored on the operator's or game company's server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
and is streamed directly to computers accessing the server through the client. This allows access to games without the need of a console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
and largely makes the capability
Instructions per second
Instructions per second is a measure of a computer's processor speed. Many reported IPS values have represented "peak" execution rates on artificial instruction sequences with few branches, whereas realistic workloads typically lead to significantly lower IPS values...
of the user's computer unimportant, as the server is the system that is running the processing needs. The controls and button presses from the user are transmitted directly to the server, where they are recorded, and the server then sends back the game's response to the input controls. This process works swiftly without notable latency allowing interactive high action game play. Furthermore, a low-level internet connection will also work with the server connection, with only a "DSL connection of 1.5 mbps" needed for a standard-definition television
Standard-definition television
Sorete-definition television is a television system that uses a resolution that is not considered to be either enhanced-definition television or high-definition television . The term is usually used in reference to digital television, in particular when broadcasting at the same resolution as...
.
Description
Gaming on demand is a game service which will take advantage of a broadband connection, large server clusters, encryptionEncryption
In cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the process is encrypted information...
and compression
Data compression
In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
to stream game content directly to a subscriber. Game content isn't stored on the user's machine and game code execution occurs primarily at the server so a less powerful computer can be used than the game would normally require.
Recent developments
Video game developer CrytekCrytek
Crytek is a German video game company founded in 1999 by three Turkish brothers: Cevat, Avni and Faruk Yerli. Crytek's main headquarters are in Frankfurt, Germany, with five other studios in Kiev, Budapest, Nottingham, Sofia and Seoul. The company is best known for developing the game Far Cry and...
began research on a cloud gaming solution in 2005 for their game Crysis
Crysis
Crysis is a science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek , published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, and released in November 2007. It is the first game of a trilogy. A separate game entitled Crysis Warhead was released on September 12, 2008, and follows similar...
, but halted development in 2007 to wait until the infrastructure and cable net providers were up for the task.
On November 18, 2010, SFR
SFR
SFR is a French mobile phone company. It has over 20 million customers, and provides over 4.6 million households with high-speed internet access...
launched commercial GoD service on IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
powered by G-cluster technology.
On March 10, 2010, OnLive officially launched. The OnLive Game Service then turned on in the US on June 17, 2010, at an initial monthly service fee of $4.95, plus the cost of games and the OnLive microconsole. However, this fee was not to be applied for a year while OnLive worked out their business model and anyone who signed up during 2010 would not be charged until 2011 as well as have their account marked as a "founding member". Later, the fee was removed altogether as part of a review of this business model and as of October 2010, there are no plans to reintroduce this fee to simply use the service.
On February 27, 2011, Gaikai
Gaikai
Gaikai is a cloud-based gaming service that allows users to play demos of major PC games and applications instantly from a webpage or internet-connected device.....
, which allows game publishers and others to embed free streaming gameplay trials on their web sites, launched its open beta with games from Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
including Dead Space 2
Dead Space 2
Dead Space 2 is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Dead Space. Unlike its predecessor, Dead Space 2 has a multiplayer mode. A Collector's Edition is...
, Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
, and Sims 3. Gaikai-enabled games can be embedded directly inside websites, on Facebook, or on mobile devices and IPTVs. In spring 2011, Gaikai went live with multiple partnerships including Walmart and The Escapist
The Escapist (website)
The Escapist is a web resource site that advocates and supports role-playing games as a social and educational activity, and works to educate the public on the true nature of gaming and dispel myths and misunderstandings about the hobby...
, as well as announcing deals with Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
and Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. Gaikai-enabled games stream from within web browsers without requiring downloads, special plug-ins, or registration, and can be activated by clicking on an enabled advertisement or visiting a Gaikai-powered game destination.
On April 28, 2011, Free, a French Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
, launched "GameTree TV", a gaming on demand platform for the Freebox
Freebox
The Freebox is an ADSL modem that the French internet service provider named Free provides to its ADSL subscribers.Its main use is as a high-end wireless modem , but it also allows Free to offer added services using ADSL as support, like HD television , video recording with timeshifting...
Revolution, its advanced IPTV set-top-box. The service is based on the GameTree TV platform by TransGaming Inc.
History
- 2005: G-cluster launches the first commercial live deployment of cloud gaming in Europe
- 2008: The first HD 720p service showcased by G-cluster on Amino STB.
- 2009: OnLive and Gaikai announce cloud based gaming services.
- 2010: SFRSFRSFR is a French mobile phone company. It has over 20 million customers, and provides over 4.6 million households with high-speed internet access...
launches cloud gaming on demand service on IPTV commercially in France. - 2010: OnLive launches.
- 2011: Gaikai launches.
Solution providers
Current main Cloud Gaming solution providers include:- Cyber Ai Entertainment
- GaikaiGaikaiGaikai is a cloud-based gaming service that allows users to play demos of major PC games and applications instantly from a webpage or internet-connected device.....
- G-clusterG-cluster Global CorporationG-cluster uses IPTV set-top-boxes and the target audience is gamers that already have gaming consoles, as well as the entire family, with a game selection consisting of casual games as well as high end titles....
(French operator SFRSFRSFR is a French mobile phone company. It has over 20 million customers, and provides over 4.6 million households with high-speed internet access...
) - OnLiveOnLiveOnLive is a cloud gaming platform: the games are synchronized, rendered, and stored on remote servers and delivered via the Internet.The service is available using the OnLive Game System, PCs running Microsoft Windows and Intel-based Macs with OS X 10.5.8 or later...
- OTOYOTOYOTOY is a cloud gaming solution, based on the concept of cloud computing. It is developed by the American company OTOY. The technology was officially announced on June 16, 2009, and it is still under development. OTOYs concept is similar to OnLive and Gaikai.Development of the OTOY service began in...
- Playcast Media SystemsPlaycast Media Systems*Playcast Media Systems is a cloud gaming service as they are often referred. Playcast Media Systems offers the service Meo Jogos, a gaming on demand service powered by Playcast Media, on November 11, 2010....
- Spoon.net
- StreamMyGameStreamMyGameStreamMyGame is a software-only game streaming solution that enables Microsoft Windows-based games and applications to be played remotely on Windows and Linux devices. It was first released on 26 October 2007 as Windows-only software. On 14 January 2008 StreamMyGame launched a Linux version of its...