Game Streaming
Ongoing coverage on Game Streaming.
Latest coverage
Evening Consolidation
Microsoft has begun testing ad-supported game streaming, with initial reports from XBOX Wire. Separately, the Halo franchise is noted to be available on PlayStation after 25 years, and a story trailer for Marvel's Wolverine on PlayStation 5 has been released.
Amazon quietly tucks 5 games into Prime Video — and it’s not chasing hardcore gamers
Amazon has integrated a Games tab into Prime Video, accessible on Fire TV, which features five cloud-streamed games including Fallout 4 and Hogwarts Legacy. This move, merging Prime Gaming and Amazon Game Studios, targets casual viewers rather than core gamers, leveraging familiar titles and its existing Prime subscriber base. The service is currently available in the US and UK, with plans for future expansion.
Xbox is asking players to test advert supported game streaming
Microsoft is testing an ad-supported game streaming channel for Xbox Insiders, allowing them to stream owned games for free with ads before sessions begin. This initiative aims to explore the viability of ad-supported subscriptions and provide more affordable access to games, with ads intended to add value without interrupting gameplay.
Xbox adds advertisements to games in "ad-supported" streaming trial, and it sounds like there's more ads…
Microsoft is testing an ad-supported version of its Xbox game streaming service with Xbox Insiders, which will include advertisements at the start of a session. The company states that the core game experience remains unchanged after the initial ads and that this tier is optional. Microsoft aims to provide more affordable ways to play games through advertising, emphasizing that ads should not interrupt gameplay and should meet quality standards.
Beginning Ad-supported Game Streaming Test & Learn
Microsoft is testing an ad-supported game streaming service for Xbox Insiders, allowing them to play owned games for free with ads for one-hour sessions. This initiative aims to lower the cost of access to games and expand audiences across supported devices like Xbox Series X|S and PC. The company emphasizes that ads will not interrupt gameplay and will meet the same quality standards as their content.
Valve puts some elbow grease into Steam Remote Play—maybe one day you won't have to install additional tools to get the best in-home game streaming experience
Valve has released an update for Steam's Remote Play feature, introducing several fixes and improvements for in-home game streaming. Key changes include the addition of a 59.94 FPS limit option, reduced frame drops with automatic framerate settings, and fixes for black screens, offline device visibility, and video decoder overloading. The update also includes patches for Steam Input, the in-game overlay, and the Steam Workshop.
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
Xbox Game Pass is adding Halo: Campaign Evolved and Beast of Reincarnation to its service, alongside other titles. The article touches on broader industry trends like subscriptions, cloud gaming, and game streaming.
Sharpen the Sword, Skip the Downloads — ‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword’ Is Coming to GeForce NOW
Capcom's Onimusha: Way of the Sword is launching on GeForce NOW on September 3, with a playable demo available this week. The cloud gaming service has also officially launched in India, offering various membership tiers. Additionally, the action game Denshattack! and other titles are now available to stream.
Valve's Steam Frame launch looks imminent, with new 'Great on Frame' category spotted
Valve's new VR headset, the Steam Frame, appears to be nearing its launch, with a new 'Great on Frame' category appearing on the Steam store. This category, currently featuring four games including Valve's own Portal 2 and The Lab, suggests official compatibility verification. Shipments of Steam Frames have reportedly begun arriving in the US, further indicating an imminent release alongside the Steam Machine this summer.
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
Xbox Game Pass has reportedly achieved less than half of its initial subscriber target. This news comes amidst discussions about the future of subscription services, cloud gaming, and game streaming within the industry.
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
Xbox Game Pass will be adding Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, The Planet Crafter, and Palworld 1.0 to its service. The article also touches on broader topics of cloud gaming and game streaming.
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
A new report suggests that Microsoft's Xbox division is undergoing a significant restructure that could lead to major changes for its Game Pass subscription service. The article speculates on potential shifts in how subscriptions, cloud gaming, and game streaming are integrated.
Joyride Through July With 12 Games Coming to GeForce NOW
NVIDIA's GeForce NOW cloud gaming service is adding 12 new games in July, including Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. The service also highlights ongoing summer savings on its Performance and Ultimate memberships, allowing users to stream games across various devices with RTX-powered performance.
The Stream Team: Exploring the outskirts of Serbule in Project Gorgon
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie explored the outskirts of Serbule in the MMORPG Project Gorgon, aiming to complete quests and improve her cartography skill. The article highlights a past stream where MJ encountered a massive spider swarm and invites readers to watch past and upcoming streams featuring other games like Guild Wars 2 and Return to Moria.
I've been trying to get my Steam Link to work for ten years, but I've fixed it just in time to save me spending £1000 on a Steam Machine
After a decade of troubleshooting, the author finally got Valve's Steam Link to work reliably by disabling the Fraps benchmarking tool. This success allows for PC gaming on a big screen without the expense of a Steam Machine, offering a viable alternative for users with existing desktop PCs.
First-Person Horror Unhinged Announced by Oxenfree Developer and Netflix
Night School Studio, the developer behind Oxenfree II, has announced a new interactive horror game called Unhinged, in collaboration with Netflix. The game stars Zoe Kravitz and Sadie Sink as neighbors experiencing a home invasion and will be playable on mobile devices, streaming directly to TVs. Influenced by the Nintendo Wii and DS, Unhinged is described as a short, intense experience structured like a Netflix episode, launching on June 30th for Netflix subscribers.
I can't afford $1,049 for a Steam Machine, but Valve has already graced your PC with the ability to be a high-spec…
The article discusses alternatives to Valve's expensive Steam Machine, highlighting the Steam Link feature which allows users to stream games from a high-spec PC to lower-spec devices. It suggests that many existing gadgets, including handhelds like the Anbernic RG ARC-D and even smartphones, can act as a "faux Steam Machine" for a fraction of the cost, provided a stable internet connection is available.
Resident Evil Creator Shinji Mikami Says It's on Developers to Make Games People Want to Play, Not Just Stream
Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami believes developers should focus on making games that players actively engage with, rather than solely relying on streaming. He expressed concern that the popularity of watching games online might discourage people from playing them themselves.
Resident Evil creator: “If watching a playthrough is enough, the game wasn’t good enough”
Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami believes that if watching a game playthrough is sufficient for an audience, the game itself was not compelling enough. He shared his thoughts on the growing trend of players opting to watch streams rather than play games themselves.
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
Xbox Game Pass will be adding EA Sports FC 26, RV There Yet?, and Winds of Arcana: Ruination to its service. The article also touches on broader industry trends like subscriptions, cloud gaming, and game streaming.