It has been rumored that Google wants to get serious with the video game industry with a platform of its own. Late last year the company revealed Project Stream which was advertised as "a test of Google’s streaming technologies in the US" and released a video boasting a 1080p, 60 fps stream of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey running on the same platform. Now Google seems to have even more up its sleeve than its streaming service.

A video released on Google's official YouTube channel teases "Google’s vision for the future of gaming". While the 37 seconds-long video is vague and doesn't show much (as you can see in the video below), save for some flashy shots from what looks like different gaming scenes, a full reveal is expected during this year's GDC on March 19, 2019 at 10AM PDT.

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What do you think this might be? A dedicated streaming service for games? A Google gaming console... or a streaming console, merging the two ideas? Share your thoughts below!

SOURCE
Google GDC Keynote Livestream

 

[the_randomizer]

It'll be a console that plays streamed games only, and it's going to bomb hard

Game streaming is a bullshit concept, just an excuse to shove DRM down our throats.

 

[Zumoly]

They are launching a new gaming device. That's what the cutscenes tell me.

 

[the_randomizer]

They are launching a new gaming device. That's what the cutscenes tell me.

Because the world needs more of these apparently.

 

[guily6669]

They are launching a new gaming device. That's what the cutscenes tell me.

Google has never been good on hardware and almost everything they messed hardware wise was never that big success where they always shine is software\servers so it can only mean game streaming like everyone have nowadays, Sony, M$, Nvidia.........

Even M$ spent most of the Xbox one budget on servers than into the console making back then, that's why it turned out a crap in hardware vs the PS4 since they wasted the biggest budget on servers instead of the console (Its really the best move when going Next gen spending all the budget on everything else less the console hardware LOL)...

 

[Bladexdsl]

enter the GOOGLEBOX aka ouya 2

 

[AkGBA]

I don't get the Stream/Cloud gaming hate train.
I've been using Shadow for almost 2 years now, and I'll never go back. (Shadow isn't a stream gaming solution, but a cloud gaming one).
I've assembled my fair share of PCs, but it's just amazing not to rely on hardware anymore. I can launch a session at home, at friends' or anywhere on my phone or using 4G connection sharing.
Yes, you then rely on your internet connection, but I can find 15Mbps anywhere now.

 

[bandithedoge]

I honestly hope Google will make their own actual Android box. Think about it. The Pixel/Nexus of TV boxes that will set the standards.

 

[the_randomizer]

I don't get the Stream/Cloud gaming hate train.
I've been using Shadow for almost 2 years now, and I'll never go back. (Shadow isn't a stream gaming solution, but a cloud gaming one).
I've assembled my fair share of PCs, but it's just amazing not to rely on hardware anymore. I can launch a session at home, at friends' or anywhere on my phone or using 4G connection sharing.
Yes, you then rely on your internet connection, but I can find 15Mbps anywhere now.

What's the point in paying to play games over a network when you can't even have the option to permanently own them?

 

[AkGBA]

What's the point in paying to play games over a network when you can't even have the option to permanently own them?

What makes you think you will not be able to permanently own the games ?

In my experience, as a cloud gaming user, I "own" the games I play. As much as you can own a steam game.

 

[Jayro]

Google and Sega are sleeping together to bring a new console.

 

[Alato]

I think it's safe to say that Google isn't looking to drop something akin to a cheap Android box. We've had a number of unsuccessful attempts at exactly that so how would they possibly call that their 'vision for the future of gaming'?

+ we know they're heavily looking at streaming games so we can assume that's the direction they're going.

I think a lot of you guys are really underestimating Google here, though. IOS or Android-based gaming up until this point hasn't been very impressive, but Google hasn't made a serious effort in gaming before. I'd wager that there's little stopping them from crushing Microsoft.

Some serious gamers might hold off on adopting Google's platform, but Google is already connected to a massive userbase and I'm sure they're going to try to make it so that choosing their 'gaming solution' is as simple and obvious for your average Joe.
Just imagine the individuals who have a decent internet connection but aren't committed enough to gaming to get into PC gaming or spend money keeping up with the latest consoles and games- and instead, they can turn on their 'Google Game box" or whatever, click the Fortnite button or the Rocket League button and instantly play the game. And maybe it'll be a subscription thing, so you're spending $10/mo for all the latest games. Like, I know tons of people that stream HD Netflix and maybe have a Wii or Xbox 360 for a bit of gaming every now and then- a solution like this would be perfect for people like this who aren't serious about gaming but wouldn't mind having access to relevant games.

 

[Bladexdsl]

What makes you think you will not be able to permanently own the games ?

tell that to wii and wiiu users who bought digital. if the server shuts down your fucked

 

[FAST6191]

I think it's safe to say that Google isn't looking to drop something akin to a cheap Android box. We've had a number of unsuccessful attempts at exactly that so how would they possibly call that their 'vision for the future of gaming'?

+ we know they're heavily looking at streaming games so we can assume that's the direction they're going.

I think a lot of you guys are really underestimating Google here, though. IOS or Android-based gaming up until this point hasn't been very impressive, but Google hasn't made a serious effort in gaming before. I'd wager that there's little stopping them from crushing Microsoft.

Some serious gamers might hold off on adopting Google's platform, but Google is already connected to a massive userbase and I'm sure they're going to try to make it so that choosing their 'gaming solution' is as simple and obvious for your average Joe.
Just imagine the individuals who have a decent internet connection but aren't committed enough to gaming to get into PC gaming or spend money keeping up with the latest consoles and games- and instead, they can turn on their 'Google Game box" or whatever, click the Fortnite button or the Rocket League button and instantly play the game. And maybe it'll be a subscription thing, so you're spending $10/mo for all the latest games. Like, I know tons of people that stream HD Netflix and maybe have a Wii or Xbox 360 for a bit of gaming every now and then- a solution like this would be perfect for people like this who aren't serious about gaming but wouldn't mind having access to relevant games.

Do a simple find and replace of Google with Amazon and you will have the same thing I saw for their gaming box when that dropped however long ago. Guess how that went.

 

[the_randomizer]

What makes you think you will not be able to permanently own the games ?

In my experience, as a cloud gaming user, I "own" the games I play. As much as you can own a steam game.

Steam games you download to an HDD, cloud games, you only temporarily download, once you stop paying, you don't have access to said cloud game.

 

[AkGBA]

tell that to wii and wiiu users who bought digital. if the server shuts down your fucked

And tell that to every steam game user. But hey, it's a gamble.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Steam games you download to an HDD, cloud games, you only temporarily download, once you stop paying, you don't have access to said cloud game.

Well, that must be the core difference vs stream & cloud gaming.

 

[Idontknowwhattoputhere]

As long as they get their 30% cut of the revenue I don't think they care unfortunately.

If this is a google games console this will be like steam greenlight
Asset flips,Stock assests etc.

 

[the_randomizer]

If this is a google games console this will be like steam greenlight
Asset flips,Stock assests etc.

Oh no, this means an influx of garbage games that get approved, like Steam Greenlight.

 

[Idontknowwhattoputhere]

Oh no, this means an influx of garbage games that get approved, like Steam Greenlight.

Cant tell if your being satire or serious

 

[the_randomizer]

Cant tell if your being satire or serious

Serious, most greenlight games aren't that great.

 

[Idontknowwhattoputhere]

Serious, most greenlight games aren't that great.

**cough cough the slaughtering grounds cough cough**