Whether for watching movies or live playthroughs, streaming has become the norm for most consumers. With instant access to extensive content libraries, platforms like Netflix and Disney+ turned traditional media models upside down, fundamentally altering how audiences engage with entertainment. Subscription-based models are growing just as fast in gaming, redirecting resources from physical to digital media. Let’s dig deeper into this radical change in gaming habits.
What Even Is Cloud Gaming?
If you’re keeping tabs on the current gaming trends, you’ve probably heard about cloud gaming more times than you can count. Cloud gaming is also referred to as game streaming or gaming on demand, both terms equally as self-explanatory.
The technology allows video games to be hosted and run on remote servers before being streamed to a player’s device through dedicated client software. Unlike traditional gaming, which requires access to an often-expensive gaming PC or console, cloud gaming services are available on a range of devices like tablets and smartphones.
Back To The Roots Of Cloud Gaming
Cloud gaming has been around much longer than most players know. The technology was first displayed at the 2000 E3, courtesy of Finnish startup G-cluster. Several publishers followed suit, such as Crytek experimenting with the technology for the Crysis franchise. The German developer’s initiatives were cut short partly due to scalability concerns and excessive bandwidth cost. But that wasn’t the end of cloud gaming.
In 2010, Gaikai launched the first fully-functional cloud gaming service, which may have played a pivotal role in the company’s buyout from Sony. As large corporations like Nvidia and Electronic Arts doubled down on their cloud gaming efforts, a new era of digital play started to take shape.
Cloud Gaming: A Technology Marred In Controversies
Over the years, subscription-based gaming services have become quite the hot topic in the gaming community. As streaming gets more expensive for consumers, many players denounce its rising costs, if only because of the sheer number of companies involved in that space. From Nintendo Online to Xbox Live, nearly every industry giant now offers its in-house subscription service.
Another downside to the technology lies within its very remote essence. Latency being a major factor affecting the quality of such services, input delay can cause a game to lag as a player’s command isn’t processed directly by their device. This structural flaw is especially glaring in fast-paced games like first-person shooters. Whether due to expired rights or trademark conflicts, video games can also disappear from streaming services entirely, leaving gamers with no possibility to complete these delisted titles.
A Digital Trend Too Big To Be Stopped?
In defiance of their vocal critics, subscription services continue to thrive. Xbox Game Pass closed out 2024 on a high note despite substantial price increases across several plans. By Q1 2025, the service had reached 37 million subscribers. As of mid-2025, Microsoft reports having 500 million active monthly users across its gaming platforms.
Just recently, Sony made cloud gaming available on the PlayStation Portal, a handheld accessory similar to the Steam Deck. Turning that feature on, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers can play such games as Fortnite and Astrobot, last year’s GOTY, through Sony’s own streaming servers. But cloud gaming is not limited to recent releases, as the technology is cropping up into the retro sphere.
Cloud Gaming: The Next Frontier For Retro Gaming?
While many retro enthusiasts remain attached to physical discs and cartridges, old-school gaming is seeing the rise of new streaming competitors. Industry leaders like Nintendo have led the way, offering Switch Online members a curated collection of classics from the NES™, Nintendo 64™, and GameCube™ eras. In late 2024, SEGA was reportedly exploring the launch of a Netflix-style subscription service for retro games to revitalise classic IPs.
The retro trend is also gaining traction in the iGaming sphere. As casinos leverage remote technologies to reduce the load on their storage systems, cloud gaming is fuelling the online gambling boom. With tens of thousands of games in their library, iGaming platforms offer unparalleled variety. Retrogamers can try out old-school slots like Arcadia Retro and Legacy Retro Roller on their favourite device. Besides, enticing deals like free spins and no-deposit bonuses await newcomers.
From EA to Nintendo, major companies have embraced digital play by providing exclusive membership plans. While platforms like Google Stadia have been axed, cloud gaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now dominate the gaming space as the technology has essentially become the new mainstream.
