News Google set to launch its Stadia game streaming platform in 2019

The tech giant Google will enter the games industry fray before the end of the year, with the launch of its new game streaming platform.

Announced during the 2019 Game Developer Conference, Google’s ‘Stadia’ system is being pitched as a device that will fundamentally change how players interact with video games. It’s claimed that, by being a streaming service, Stadia will allow players to “access their games at all times, and on virtually any screen”.

Google is citing other benefits of the Stadia service. By not being confined to a dedicated console or other gaming platform, Stadia users will be able to access their games on a variety of devices, ranging from mobile phones and tablets to desktop computers and smart TVs.

Fans of ‘watch-then-play’ concept underpinning The Grand Tour Game will be pleased to know Google’s gaming platform will offer a similar functionality. For example, if you’re watching a content creator play a Stadia-supported game on YouTube, you’ll be able to play the game yourself at the press of a “play now” button.

With all the processing work being done by Google’s “globally connected network of data centres”, it’s claimed Stadia-streamed games will run and look better than their counterparts on consoles and other gaming devices. Google is targeting a 4K resolution and HDR compatibility when Stadia is initially launched, and it’s hoped games will run through Stadia at an Alan Boiston-approved 60 frames per second.

It’s unclear if any racing games will be available from Stadia’s launch in North America, the UK and Europe later this year, though the inclusion of The Crew 2 in the platform’s reveal video suggests the open-world title could be supported.

As Epic Games has confirmed its Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) technology will be compatible with Stadia, there’s a possibility that UE4-underpinned racing games such as Assetto Corsa Competizione, Gravel and the upcoming MotoGP ’19  could also make their way to Google’s new gaming platform.

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