There’s a small number of web-based providers out there that are trying to push cloud gaming technology forward. One of them is Boosteroid and its development was quite a big technosocial blast in 2017. There were just a few cloud gaming providers back then as the interactive online streaming technology has only been emerging. For example, after having been acquired by Sony, OnLive and Gaikai basically became a PlayStation Now in 2015. Unfortunately, this subscription is still hiding in the shadows behind PlayStation Plus. Google Stadia had a difficult start in 2019 when its beta became a mess. Many reviewers were disappointed with latency and reported that the platform wasn’t ready to meet modern quality standards. GeForce NOW, Shadow, Vortex, etc. — some of them are still using an app to launch games in the cloud, and others are trying to implement a web-based technology.
So what is browser-based gaming?
Web-based access is quite simple. Basically, you use your browser as a streaming app to play games remotely. Cloud gaming is actually similar to hardware rent. You buy a subscription and get access to the remote servers capable of running a game. When you start playing, all in-game moves are captured remotely and transmitted to your device. There’s no need to install additional applications or download game files. An old laptop is enough to play modern games if it’s capable of 1080p video playback. This is why cloud gaming is so demanded right now, there’s no need to upgrade your PC or buy a new one over time.
Boosteroid and Google Stadia were created for this sort of technology and these providers are trying to push it further on the market. Each of them has its own solutions, but both are not perfect. The opportunity to play games in the cloud requires a stable Internet connection with no connection speed fluctuations or packet loss. The last problem is the most common among gamers. There’s no streaming technology available to compensate packet losses in Chrome or Opera. That’s why web-based cloud gaming services are searching for new solutions to take a root on the market as a leader.
Game of launchers
Cloud gaming is all about… games. Isn’t it obvious? But there are a few unexpected things you can face. Unfortunately, not a single platform can offer all the latest titles you want to play, especially in different launchers. Google Stadia, for example, has its own store where you can buy games. You can’t use your Steam or Origin titles to run them in the cloud. Want to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare? Probably, you ain’t gonna find it available on the first cloud gaming service you’ll come across.
Boosteroid offers access to more than 500+ games (classic titles included). Google Stadia provides about 70+ games to buy and play. GeForce NOW has a solid number of titles but most of them are classic and don’t require cloud gaming. Microsoft is trying to push xCloud as part of Xbox Game Pass. Each company tries to draw users’ attention in its own way. So, before buying any subscription you should secure yourself and check the library a cloud gaming provider offers.
Mobile madness
Big companies are very interested in mobile gaming. They all try to push their services via mobile apps, but it’s not that simple. Apple, for example, does not allow gaming companies to download their cloud gaming software on iOS. There’s only one acceptable solution on the market. And yes, we are talking about web-based access. Microsoft has announced they’d bring xCloud to iOS via browser-based technology to avoid restrictions placed by Apple.
Android devices are much simpler when it comes to cloud gaming, as their operating system doesn’t have the same harsh restrictions. The majority of the cloud services have their own Android app to run PC games remotely. Even Google Stadia hasn’t taken the risk of applying web-based technology to Android and has simply created its own application. In this scenario, Boosteroid proves to be the leader here. You should understand, web-based mobile access to games requires a more comprehensive approach to avoid 5G/4G and Wi-Fi latency.
The price and other advantages
$10 is the most common number in the cloud gaming industry. And it’s not a joke. Almost every platform charges this amount of money for their services. There are a few exceptions like GeForce NOW with their $5 basic subscription, which, however, has precise limits. You’ll be disconnected from a session in 6 hours — that’s not what online players want to happen. As we mentioned before, almost every other cloud gaming platform charges around $10, which has become an industry-standard these days.
Boosteroid basic subscription costs €9.89. For this price, users get 1080p/60fps gaming, 500+ games, and 24/7 playtime. This offer is quite tasty compared to other platforms… but the main price advantage of Boosteroid is an annual subscription. It includes the same services as a basic plan, but costs €49.89 per year, which is about €4.16 per month. This might be the lowest price on the market.
Boosteroid is available only in Europe. This cloud gaming platform claims further scaling until the end of the year. There have been several announcements that the provider is ready to cover North and South America in Q1, 2021. The deployment of hardware infrastructure requires some time so we’ll see if Boosteroid is able to keep up with the roadmap.
There are some troubles you can face while using cloud gaming platforms. But if you dive deep into this topic you can find interesting solutions. One of them is web-based access, which solves major gaming industry’s problems. Boosteroid brings a solid service for its price and there are no doubts this cloud gaming platform reached a high-level of potential.
