Games-on-demand services are picking up a little more than expected, between the exploding success of the Xbox Game Pass, and Sony continuing to try to make a thing out of its cloud-based PlayStation Now service. But now, it appears that another major titan may be stepping in to offer a subscription-based service for gamers everywhere.
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According to this report from The Information, several “people with knowledge on the project” are reporting that Google is looking into its own subscription-based game streaming service. It’s currently under development, under the code name Yeti, and that Google is putting quite a bit of investment into it.
As far as how it would work, it doesn’t sound like the service would be compatible with current consoles – at least, not at the moment. Instead, according to this GamesIndustry International analysis, two possibilities have come up.
First, Google could allow the game service to be accessed through its own Chromecast digital media players, meaning all players need is an online access point and a controller (maybe even their remotes?) to take part. But another idea Google may have is making its own console. Neither of these have been confirmed just yet, though.
There’s been a lot of talk over the years about Google considering an entry into the console market. Last month, the company went all out to bring Phil Harrison, a former PlayStation and Xbox executive, on board to help get some ideas on the board. While Harrison didn’t explain what he was being hired on for at the time, he did note that it was an “extremely special opportunity.”
Considering that the gaming market is as big as it is, it’s no surprise that Google is looking to get a piece of the action – and there’s only so much its YouTube Gaming service can do, especially in second place behind the all-powerful Twitch.Now, the real question is when Google would announce its game-based initiative. One ideal place might be E3, which takes place in just a few months, as it would be the ideal platform for the company to host a press conference or, better yet, have presence on the show floor to introduce its service and show gamers what it’s all about.
We’ll keep a close eye on it. For now, though, all we can do is wonder what Google has in mind. They’ve got a ton of money, though, so the possibilities are endless.
