In a new interview, Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida revealed his hopes for the future of cloud gaming. In a video shared by Jounetsu-Tairiku Lite (translated by @Genki_JPN), Yoshi-P noted that he wants to make games that would be playable on any platform through the cloud. In his opinion, this would make the concept of console wars extinct, as there wouldn’t be an actual need for different platforms. Yoshi-P believes this will occur within the next decade, and would have happened sooner if not for the coronavirus pandemic. Notably, connection speeds and server availability will have to improve.ย
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From a creative standpoint, it’s easy to see why Yoshi-P wants to see this happen. The director noted that this could greatly expand the audience for games, bringing an end to concepts like exclusivity. More players getting a chance to experience the games that creators spend years working on could be a very good thing!
Cloud Gaming for All
It’s worth noting that part of Yoshi-P’s prediction has already come true. Through cloud gaming, Microsoft has made it possible for Xbox One users to enjoy Xbox Series X|S games that would have been too powerful for the system, including titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator. Similarly, Nintendo Switch has also received cloud versions of games that otherwise wouldn’t be available, including Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Resident Evil Village. Cloud gaming has already expanded the number of games that are now accessible to users of these platforms. Companies like Ubisoft are also investing in cloud gaming in a big way.ย
It’s not difficult to imagine things expanding far beyond this current point, but the fact of the matter is that PlayStation, Nintendo, and Microsoft also have a vested interest in keeping their exclusive games exclusive, and not sharing with others. There are also companies like Square Enix that have a financial incentive to make games exclusive to one platform or another. These are pretty big hurdles to overcome, and it’s hard to imagine things changing that much within a decade.ย
Cloud Gaming: The Downsides
While Yoshi-P’s enthusiasm for cloud gaming is easy to understand, a lot of gamers currently remain skeptical. While the technology offers a lot of promise, there are many downsides. Over the last few years, we’ve seen servers go offline for countless games, rendering them unplayable. We’ve also seen digital exclusive games become inaccessible as digital storefronts have shut down. Games exclusively playable through the cloud would similarly cease to exist. That’s particularly worrisome for those concerned with video game preservation and retro gaming. Video games that were released 30 to 40 years ago can still be played on their original consoles, as well as newer devices like the Analogue Pocket or Atari 2600+. Yet games released in the modern era run the risk of becoming unplayable in just a few years (or sometimes even months) because of how they’re being released. Unless companies find a solution to that problem, a lot of gamers are going to resist an all-digital future.ย
How do you feel about the future of cloud gaming? Do you think it will end the console wars? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter atย @Marcdachampย or on Instagram atย @Dachampgaming!
