Gaming brands are developing streaming services

Today’s on-demand youth have given rise to streaming services that expand access to entertainment. The following gaming brands are taking inspiration from Netflix and creating subscription-based streaming services that allow gamers to choose from a library of games at a low monthly cost.


Microsoft wants to reach more gamers and plans to do so with the development of Project XCloud, its forthcoming streaming service for Xbox. The company hopes that a subscription service will democratize gaming for players around the world, many of whom do not own a TV or gaming console or have a stable internet connection. To bring its library of games, including Halo, to the masses, Microsoft plans to utilize its existing data centers around the world to offset connectivity issues and delays by connecting players with the data center closest to them. Microsoft is also working on two new Xbox consoles that are rumored to be more compact, affordable, and focused on streaming.


While Amazon is already a major video game retailer and owner and operator of Twitch, the largest video game live streaming service, it’s rumored to be joining the several major tech companies that are currently working on or already offering gaming streaming services. The development of such a service would allow players to stream any number of games at a monthly cost rather than making them buy and download titles individually. The online retailer already has a worldwide cloud infrastructure, Amazon Web Services, that would allow developers to overcome the technical issues that come with creating a game streaming service.


The subscription streaming service model has transformed several other forms of entertainment, such as music, TV, and movies, and EA hopes that it will have a similar effect on gaming. EA wants to expand access to its collection of games through the development of a cloud gaming service that would allow any gamer with an Internet connection and a display to use it. From gaming consoles to PCs to mobile devices, gamers will be able to stream to any device, lowering the barrier to entry and allowing more gamers to participate in the entertainment they love. EA plans to launch its cloud gaming service in 2020.