In 2022, Microsoft made a 10-year commitment with Nintendo to bring the popular “Call of Duty” series onto their platforms. This is the first time the Call of Duty series will be on any Nintendo console. What does any of this have to do with cloud gaming? With the advancement in technology, it might not take long for games from different companies to end up on different platforms like Nintendo.
So, let’s discuss whether Microsoft’s deal will make their cloud gaming service the best available.
The Definition of Cloud Gaming
What if we could play video games in data centers via remote servers? That’s what we call cloud gaming. Imagine not having to download our video games on our consoles or PC devices!
We’ll need an excellent internet connection to send information to a server or app installed on our recipient device. Then, the game renders, and we can play it on the server. When playing, we can also interact with or see anything that’s local to our device.
It’s the video gaming equivalent of Netflix or other streaming services. Like Netflix and other streaming services, we’ll need a monthly subscription to gain access. Certain services also need us to buy the games available as well. The main difference is that the video stream server can also pick up and react to our inputs.
Benefits of Cloud Gaming
Despite its debut in the late 2000s, the technology hadn’t been optimized for its fulfillment until years later. Because of cloud gaming, we can enjoy some brilliant benefits.
Because of the need for an internet connection, anybody can access whatever game they want or even go to an online casino for a deposit match bonus for beginners. Many cloud gaming services also have a global reach that lets other cloud gaming platforms quickly utilise and spread to other regions.
We won’t have to panic about storage when using a cloud gaming server because we’re not downloading things outside the application. This also gets rid of the need for upgrading our gaming parts. We can buy whatever game we want and play right away rather than spend over £500 on a brand new console.
Cloud gaming’s biggest benefit is its convenience. It works across loads of devices, so it shouldn’t matter which hardware we’re playing our games on.
While cloud gaming isn’t replacing traditional hardware any day, it’s already augmented it.
Microsoft and Its Call of Duty Deal– What Does This Have to Do With Cloud Gaming?
In a Twitter post on 6th December 2022, Phil Spencer, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Gaming, stated that the company had entered a 10-year commitment to bring the popular “Call of Duty” franchise onto Nintendo consoles.
This announcement came after Microsoft’s planned 69 billion USD acquisition of the first-person shooter’s maker concerned regulators about the deal stifling competition.
What does any of this have to do with cloud gaming? Microsoft owns XBox Cloud Gaming, one of cloud gaming’s front runners. XBox Cloud Gaming has two elements to its platform: a server for XBox Game Pass and another for games we’ve installed.
XBox Game Pass gives us a special list that the cloud enables, which the Ultimate subscription locks. That means we can play the games listed until Microsoft replaces them with other titles. We can also buy these discounted games for indefinite streaming.
The XBox Game Pass only works on mobile devices like Bluetooth or Android 6.0 (or newer models). It also has support for Windows 10, smart TVs, and streaming sticks. However, Safari and Apple users can rejoice at Microsoft’s attempt at developing a web app to evade the Apple Store’s limitations.
Microsoft’s Console Streaming service lets us stream our installed games to devices if they’re connected to a device or installed on any home console. We can use Windows 10 PCs, Android devices, or mobile phones to access the XBox app.
Because of this, some consider XBox Cloud Gaming one of the best options for cross-platform gaming. XBox One and PC players can play games and interact with PlayStation 4 players and those who use the Nintendo Switch. With Microsoft already being a huge company, its Call of Duty deal with Nintendo has raised some issues with others.
Gaming chief at Sony, Jim Ryan, claimed Microsoft’s offer to keep the “Call of Duty” series for three years on PlayStation after another agreement was inadequate. However, Microsoft’s president Brad Smith said on Twitter that the company was happy to hammer out a 10-year deal with Sony any day.
Game Set?
Microsoft is a current front runner in cloud gaming with XBox Cloud Gaming, and its Call of Duty deal with Nintendo might make their service the best available.
