Cloud Gaming: What It Is & Why It’s Exciting

In recent years, cloud gaming has gained significant traction, and Google was one of the pioneers with Stadia, a cloud-based game streaming service that allowed anyone to play video games on any Chrome-enabled device with a USB controller. Although Google Stadia officially shut down in early 2023, its impact on the industry has paved the way for new players and innovations in the cloud gaming space.

It wasn’t long before that Microsoft was demonstrating xCloud, its own cloud gaming service that works across multiple devices, including mobile phones. Today, Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming has become one of the leading services, alongside other platforms like NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, and Sony’s PlayStation Plus Cloud Streaming.

If you’ve never heard of cloud gaming before, it’s not surprising. Cloud gaming, also known as ‘gaming on-demand’ or ‘gaming-as-a-service’, isn’t really a new concept but its potential hasn’t really been realised. Current cloud gaming services, such as PlayStation Now, are relatively modest and haven’t really caught on.

However, with advancements in technology, it seems only a matter of time before cloud gaming becomes the next big thing in gaming.

What is cloud gaming exactly?

When we think of playing a video game today we usually need a gaming console, be it a PlayStation or Xbox, a dedicated gaming PC.

Cloud gaming simply does away with it, allowing you to play on any device, with minimum hardware requirements.

Just like how Spotify allows us to stream music and Netflix allows us to watch movies without downloading them, a cloud gaming service would allow us to stream games and play them without relying on a gaming console.

Cloud gaming could let you play the game you want regardless of the device you’re using.

For example, in a 2018 demonstration by Google, users could play the new AAA title ‘Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’ by streaming it in one’s Chrome web browser. Because the game’s graphic rendering would be done remotely in the cloud, users didn’t need a powerful gaming PC to play it. They also didn’t have to download or install the game.

This is an exciting promise, especially for those who can’t afford the cost of a gaming console or the costs of frequent upgrades to a gaming PC.

What do I need to get on cloud gaming in Singapore in 2024?

Just like streaming video, one needs a high-speed internet connection to stream games.

However the demands on one’s internet connection when it comes to cloud gaming are much higher than streaming video, especially with regards to latency: we might be willing to wait a few seconds for a video to buffer, but lag in video games is a huge no-no.

And for cloud gaming, there’s much more data that has to be sent from your device to the cloud server and back: the video you see has to be rendered remotely and sent back to you, in addition to all the commands you’re giving the game.

Google Stadia once required a minimum of 30Mbps for 4K gaming at 60 fps, and 25Mbps for lag-free 1080p gaming at 60 fps. Today, services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming have similar requirements. A stable fibre broadband connection is crucial for smooth gameplay.

Fortunately, internet speeds in Singapore are among the fastest globally, and with the introduction of Wi-Fi 7 and 10Gbps broadband plans, more homes are now equipped to support cloud gaming. In fact, Singapore’s telecommunications infrastructure is particularly well-positioned to accommodate the high bandwidth and low latency demands of cloud gaming.

With 3Gbps broadband becoming the baseline speed for many households, gamers in Singapore can enjoy a reliable and high-speed gaming experience. High-speed plans also allow multiple users in the home to stream games simultaneously without sacrificing performance.

Here at MyRepublic, we offered tailored GAMER Broadband plans, which prioritise gaming traffic, ensuring minimal lag during peak hours.

Emerging Cloud Gaming Platforms and Their Availability in Singapore

In addition to international players like NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

In 2024, Sony expanded its PlayStation Plus Cloud Streaming service, and even platforms like Netflix have started dipping their toes into cloud gaming, providing game streaming as part of their overall entertainment packages. These options are now available to Singaporeans, providing a range of services that cater to different types of gamers.

The next big thing?

We are still some ways off from having “the Netflix of games”. But should cloud gaming really take off, it could spell the end of gaming consoles and mark a new era of gaming, just as how the TV and music industries evolved over the past couple of decades.

Without the need for expensive hardware, we can expect more graphically intensive games on low-cost phones or tablets. There would be no waiting to play, with entire games accessible as instantly as opening a webpage.

There’s also interesting potential for the future of online multiplayer gaming: by controlling every aspect of how the game is processed on its cloud servers, Google Stadia promises a multiplayer games on a scale not possible before, from hundreds of concurrent players to thousands enabling entirely new gaming experiences.

For Singaporean gamers, Fibre Broadband and Wi-Fi 7 provide the ideal infrastructure for cloud gaming, eliminating many of the challenges of older networks, such as high latency or insufficient bandwidth. Local data centres being developed by global cloud providers also contribute to lower latency, ensuring that games streamed from Singapore-based servers are as responsive as playing them on a local console.

Overall, as cloud gaming becomes more mainstream, it holds the promise of making gaming more accessible and convenient for everyone—regardless of the device in hand. With Singapore’s robust infrastructure, local gamers are in a prime position to benefit from this exciting transformation in gaming.