The emergence of the cloud has not only revolutionized software production but has also made its way into other markets and industries. The overall gaming industry is no different. And with the rise in the game development industry, it only makes sense to integrate cloud computing into game development and experiences.
Software development methodologies like Agile, Feature-Driven Development, and secure docker practices are making their mark, changing the dynamics of web, mobile, and even game development. The impact of these methodologies is indeed more than anyone could have imagined, providing streamlined developer operations as well as seamless end-user experiences.
In this article, we’ll talk about the advantages that come with cloud-based technologies in gaming, the impact it’s created, and how game development teams are leveraging these technologies to improve development pipelines.
The Advantages and Impact of Cloud Gaming:
Cloud gaming certainly has its advantages for end-users and gaming studios alike:
1. Eradicating Device Limitations
Until smartphones came along, most games were typically limited to consoles and PCs. Which made it a bottleneck for gaming studios when it came to catering to mass audiences. All of this changed when cloud gaming came along and translated games to becoming more platform-independent. Games that only Windows or console users could play are now also playable on tablets and PCs with Android. iOS, Linux, and Chrome O.S.
2. Cybersecurity
Cloud gaming operates on user data being stored on secure servers. Even though cybercrime has gone up in recent years, there are still cybersecurity practices that are counteracting these security threats better than they ever have in the past. Moreover, as cloud security evolves, it can be integrated side by side, without the need for any costly or time-consuming upgrades.
3. Compatibility
Another advantage for gamers when it comes to cloud gaming is that even low-end devices are able to process games that are released for newer models. Memory storage, processing power, and graphical limitations have all been eradicated to a large extent thanks to the introduction of the cloud platform.
4. Availability
The introduction of the cloud has definitely eradicated the geographical barriers when it comes to gaming. Anyone can access any game from any corner of the world. Economical and bandwidth barriers are now a thing of the past.
How Gaming Studios Are Utilizing Cloud-Based Technologies
Cloud technology has not only helped in creating better games and seamless experiences for gamers but has also aided in better game development operations and pipelines for game studios to utilize. Some notable advantages for game studios are the following:
notable advantages for game studios are the following.
Lower Costs
Perhaps the biggest advantage to game studios when it comes to adopting cloud-based infrastructures is the decrease in costs. With no need for on-site servers and data centers, studios can evade the costs associated with hardware. Game development in itself is a very costly business model. A 30% – 50% reduction in costs is no doubt an advantage.
More Talent
If there’s one thing that the pandemic taught the world, it was that remote working is indeed possible. Reduced costs and access to diverse talent are two of the primary reasons not just game studios, but businesses in general, have migrated to remote-first business methodologies. Additionally, with auto-sync technologies, specialists are now able to work on a single project in real-time.
Scalability
Many game studios start off as start-up ventures and expand as they grow over time. Cloud-based infrastructures come with a pay-as-you-go model, giving game studios a lot more control over the technology stacks they wish to use and the costs they have to absorb.
Regardless, adopting cloud-based solutions do come with a few shortcomings. One of the more notable ones is transitioning to such a business ecosystem altogether. Another disadvantage is not having an in-house or outsourced technical assistance team. Even if you do, they won’t be able to do much as they won’t have access to troubleshooting any technical problems.
However, the benefits of cloud-based infrastructures far outweigh the drawbacks. The cloud might have started off as a digital storage platform, but it has now evolved into something greater than it was originally envisioned. With the gaming industry on the rise along with the introduction of Web 3.0 technologies and Metaverses, the future of cloud gaming and studios utilizing cloud technologies indeed looks bright. More and more players will enter the supplier market; so we can expect to see newer consoles and genres of games in the coming years. More so, this industry just might become one of those that won’t ever face a decline.
