Google has recently launched a test for a new streaming service called ‘Project Stream’.To test the service, participants receive a free copy of recently released Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey to play using the platform.

In a blog post on October 1st, Product Manager Catherine Hsiao explained:

‘We’ve partnered with one of the most innovative and successful video game publishers, Ubisoft, to stream their soon-to-be released Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to your Chrome browser on a laptop or desktop. Starting on October 5, a limited number of participants will get to play the latest in this best-selling franchise at no charge for the duration of the Project Stream test.’

This marks an interesting technical change in direction for Google, who despite obviously having the Google Play store, have never tackled a gaming industry challenge like this. It’s a big move to make, but a hugely complex issue to grasp as Hsiao described:

‘When streaming TV or movies, consumers are comfortable with a few seconds of buffering at the start, but streaming high-quality games requires latency measured in milliseconds, with no graphic degradation.’

Google aren’t the first past the post, with Nvidia pushing Geoforce NOW via a free beta test and Playstation Now being launched in the UK in 2015. It’s nice to know the gaming industry has managed originality in its marketing. Few companies have the resources, connections and power that Google has and this could give them an edge over the competition. The reception to the test has been largely positive with no reports of any serious problems. As far as tests go, it’s been as good as you can get.

If Google masters the technology, we could see some sweeping changes in the gaming industry, particularly on PC. Google would be providing a new, exciting service to the market and challenging companies like Nvidia and even Steam. This would of course depend on Google launching a client to sell games through alongside Project Stream, though whether they’re interested in doing so is uncertain. But with the technology and the huge brand appeal that Google has as arguably the biggest tech company in the world, any service would make investors and higher-ups at rival companies concerned. This may even push Nvidia and Sony to act quickly to improve their services.

Microsoft already seem to have realised this, as a week after Hsiao’s blog post announcing Project Stream, Kareem Choudhry, Corporate Vice President of Gaming Cloud at Microsoft announced in his own blog post Project xCloud, saying:

‘Project xCloud’s state-of-the-art global game-streaming technology will offer you the freedom to play on the device you want without being locked to a particular device, empowering YOU, the gamers, to be at the center of your gaming experience.’ He goes on to say the system aims to provide for gamers both on console and PC, with public trials beginning in 2019 and allowing you to pair Xbox wireless controllers via Bluetooth to your tablet or mobile.

Aside from the fact that blog posts seem to be the best form of press releases now, what we can learn is the pressure is building on the game industry to make the best streaming service. We have seen how film and TV have changed via streaming services such as Netflix and NOW TV, and gaming is heading in a similar direction. It’s up to companies to take the initiative and be bold. Google has amped up the pressure in this race to the finish line. Microsoft may seem a bit panicky on this, but they need to be. Competition is best for the industry, hopefully in a few years we will see some quality products across the board. At that point, it will then depend on consumers. The key issue for consumers is internet bandwidth and whilst a good gaming PC can sustain a strong bandwidth quite comfortably, one wonders how much a gaming PC will be in a couple of years with the advancements we will have made by then. If the cost of a high-end PC is more practical, we could see everyone streaming.

Ultimately, the sky isn’t the limit for streaming. With Google taking one small step for gamers, it’s up to the industry to take the giant leap. And who knows where we will end up, and how many new blog posts about streaming services we will have. Either way, the future of gaming is very intriguing.