Now that Google has made its intentions to become a major player within the gaming space with the launch of Stadia, its cloud based gaming platform complete with full streaming functionality, 4k at 60fps (disputed) and other bold claims of any device from phone to TV how does it stack up?
How Can Stadia Succeed?
First off major I.P owners haven't rushed in to fill the catalogue straight away, rather they'll wait and see what the fuss is all about and then decide if their I.P fits the business model and how they can benefit from it or figure out if they have the technical attachment to make their brands work on the platform.
Google could, if it wanted, spend stupid amounts money in creating killer platform I.P it can use to show off Stadia, and buy studios but doesn't have to if larger I.P creates bespoke player experiences that differ from traditional console. In a similar way that Microsoft and Sony buys studios for own brand talent and I.P creation (Obsidian), Stadia will need to at least consider the same tactic. Jade Raymond and Phil Harrison both have the experience to help Google navigate the space where studio created I.P can flourish but it'll need to establish it's very own potent brand I.P to bring in the masses by the millions. Much like Netflix has promoted its own brand through its original own I.P content with shows like Stranger Things, The Irishman and The Umbrella Academy, Russian Doll and Mindhunter, its content exclusives which can really help drive adoption.
Phil Harrison tends to jump ship pretty quickly so I can't really see him dedicating a long term commitment to Stadia, but I've been wrong before.
Phil Harrison tends to jump ship pretty quickly so I can't really see him dedicating a long term commitment to Stadia, but I've been wrong before.
Amazon is another example and promotes its own powerhouse brand I.P with shows like The Grand Tour, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan etc, both services rely on a vast catalogue for consumers to browse and enjoy but in order to survive these streaming services know that its their own in-house original content that retains audiences and builds brand recognition and its an ongoing never ending battle as more services compete for our attention as consumers.
Stadia is an exciting proposal in gaming but its actual execution hasn't exactly gone to plan.
Stadia is an exciting proposal in gaming but its actual execution hasn't exactly gone to plan.
Stadias Catlogue - Buffet dining and discoverability
Stadia will suffer the same inevitable issues that the Apple Store, Google Play, Netflix and Steam all suffer, and that's discoverability for individual titles, how smaller game developers utilizing Stadia can survive through a subscription based model. Truth be told there hasn't been a rush of developers getting content on Stadia which may mean there's a mix of premium and free to play content which may help the platform succeed but its got a long way to go yet.
What Stadia shouldn't be is an excuse to just fill it with ports of familiar franchises but rather explore new innovation with familiar I.P to create new player experiences.How this all affects larger brands and I.P that rely on higher priced retail models to pay for development, games like Assassins Creed and Grand Theft Auto spend vast sums of money on the development cycle which is recouped (hopefully) at launch is something that probably points to monetized DLC and added bolt on experiences. You pay your flat subscription fee to Stadia which gives you access to a decent sized chunk of say, the next Assassins Creed game but to fully explore the larger aspects of the game it'll charge you a fee to buy / access the larger experience which is designed to bring the revenue back to the developer.
What Stadia shouldn't be is an excuse to just fill it with ports of familiar franchises but rather explore new innovation with familiar I.P to create new player experiences.How this all affects larger brands and I.P that rely on higher priced retail models to pay for development, games like Assassins Creed and Grand Theft Auto spend vast sums of money on the development cycle which is recouped (hopefully) at launch is something that probably points to monetized DLC and added bolt on experiences. You pay your flat subscription fee to Stadia which gives you access to a decent sized chunk of say, the next Assassins Creed game but to fully explore the larger aspects of the game it'll charge you a fee to buy / access the larger experience which is designed to bring the revenue back to the developer.
The mere fact that Stadia can take a large triple A title like Assassins Creed Odyssey and stream it to a Chrome browser in 1080p on a simple laptop with no real loss of quality speaks for itself(done during test via Project Stream but reality has shown differing results). The aim for Stadia is to allow users to jump in and be playing a game within 5 seconds with no download, no patches, no delay, no update and no install, its a pretty big aim - but one where tech is inextricably being puled towards - in the age of technology we want faster connectivity, less downtime, we expect immediacy with technology and its no different where games are concerned and for Stadia its about reducing the friction of being excited about a game and actually playing it.Being able to play any game regardless of device across mobile, tablet, PC and TV with no need for a console and only a chromecast streamer via HDMi is insane tech but if its initial reviews are to be taken into account Stadia has a long way to go to fulfill that dream.
This technological leap, as much as it sounds quite bold is where console first party owners now need to take stock, updates are the absolute bane of any consoles owners life ( Call of Duty Modern Warfare PS4 update anyone?) so immediacy itself is a true console killer feature if ever there was one, and while Stadia hasn't immediately set the world on fire with its physical launch (as rough around the edges as it was) it's still a concept where the future of gaming is headed.
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