Samsung Announces Cloud Gaming Platform

Samsung is investing more into gaming with the announcement of a new cloud gaming platform that'll work with its smart TVs, the company announced this week during its SDC21 keynote presentation. The goal is to have the cloud gaming platform work with Samsung TVs that are powered by the Linux-based Tizen. Samsung said during the presentation that developers will be able to apply the experience of using a Samsung TV to "new games," though it wasn't specified if there are already talks happening which pertain to specific games or developers.

The SDC21 keynote presentation can be seen below with Samsung's Senior Vice President of Visual Display Software R&D Yongjae Kim speaking about the new cloud gaming plans around the 25:20 point in the video.

"To diversify your game selection on Samsung Smart TVs, we are developing a new Cloud Game platform," Kim said. "This means that soon, you will be able to enjoy games without purchasing high-end hardware, and developers can easily apply Samsung Smart TV's seamless, immersive experience to new games. All of this is possible with Samsung's Smart TVs powered by Tizen. Tizen is a Linux-based, operating system, built through our collaboration with developers and open-source communities."

The Tizen OS was applied to Samsung TVs starting in 2015, Kim said, so there's a good chance that if you have one of the company's smart TVs, yours will be compatible with whatever the plans are for the cloud gaming service. No other plans were discussed during the keynote presentation following the initial announcement.

Xbox has been one of the biggest proponents of cloud gaming so far with the company expanding its catalog of cloud-enabled games all the time so that subscribers can play their Xbox Game Pass games wherever they may be. Of those who've tried to follow suit, Google Stadia is another example of cloud gaming and is likely a closer example for what Samsung may be going for with its own service. Stadia did not have the best of launches and has yet to stand out as a real competitor to more traditional gaming options, however, so it remains to be seen how Samsung's strategy will diverge from what we've already seen.

Netflix also prominently announced its plans to get more into gaming, and we've already seen progress towards that goal with new games teased and studios acquired.