The future of video games may lie in the greatest cloud gaming services. It appears like the days of purchasing a single game for a single system and having it tied to that system indefinitely are over. In addition to tablets, Web browsers, and even smart TVs, gamers can now begin a game on a PC in the morning, finish it on a console in the afternoon, then pick it up on a smartphone before going to bed. Playing what you want, where you want, and when you want has never been simpler or more handy.
There aren't that many cloud gaming options available right now. While some, like Google Stadia, have already vanished into the digital abyss, others, like Xbox Game Pass, have advanced significantly over the last several years. Either way, cloud gaming as an idea is still very much in its infancy. There are certain limitations with each and every one of these services. Many are still working out serious kinks, and some may eventually vanish (similar to Stadia).
For the time being, nevertheless, there is a significant advantage to each of these cloud gaming providers. Try these out if you're sick of being tied to a gaming PC or console, and discover which one best suits your needs both financially and habitually.
I played both single-player action/adventure games and multiplayer first-person shooter games when I could in order to select the cloud gaming services that are included below. In order to gauge how reliable the connection was over time, I also made sure to play each service for a few hours straight.
1. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
SPECIFICATIONS
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, mobile, Web browser, smart TV
Resolution: Up to 1080pNetwork
Requirements: 20 Mbps (recommended) / 10 Mbps (minimum)
Game Library: 450+Price: $10-15 per month
REASONS TO BUY:
-Superb game collection
-Reliable, strong performance
-Compatible with a wide range of platforms
REASONS TO AVOID:
- High monthly costCertain downloaded games cannot be streamed.
Xbox Game Pass is the greatest game streaming service available right now. It's also among the greatest gaming providers overall, even without including its streaming features.
We give it such high marks for a number of reasons. The Ultimate tier comes with a large selection of free-to-play streaming games in addition to a vast library of Xbox and Windows PC games, most of which are available from day one.
With the streaming feature, you can stream games from the cloud to a variety of gadgets, including laptops, MacBooks, Android phones, tablets, and iPads, as well as an earlier Xbox One. Although a number of titles feature touchscreen controls, all you actually need is an Xbox controller that works with it. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs about $15 a month, so it's not the cheapest option, and you can only watch Xbox library titles. However, the overall streaming experience and service are excellent and difficult to compare.
2. Nvidia GeForce Now
SPECIFICATIONS
Platforms: Chrome OS, PC, Mac, mobile, smart TV, and web browser
Resolution: 4K Network or higher
Requirements: 45 Mbps (recommended) / 15 Mbps (minimum)
Game Library: 1,500+Price: Up to $20 per month
REASONS TO BUY
-Works with games you already own
-Draws from a variety of PC platforms
-Competent free tier
REASONS TO AVOID
-Uppermost tier is expensive
-Requires existing accounts and games
Nvidia GeForce Now might be among the priciest or least priced cloud gaming services, depending on the titles you currently own and how often you need to play them online. Using Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect, GeForce Now allows you to stream PC games that you already own instead of providing you with a pre-made library. On those platforms, you can play over 1,500 games—a far greater number than most of the competition—but not every game.
You can play on servers that occasionally have lineups for an hour at a time using the free tier of Nvidia GeForce Now. For occasional cloud players, it functions well. Alternatively, you may pay $20 per month to stream from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 computer with 4K resolution and eight-hour sessions, or $10 per month for priority server access and 1080p quality. During my testing, I discovered that while the free tier's speed was good, its queues were annoying.
3. PlayStation Plus Premium
SPECIFICATIONS
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
Resolution: Up to 1080pNetwork
Requirements: 15 Mbps (recommended) / 5 Mbps (minimum)
Game Library: 300+Price: $18 per month
REASONS TO BUY
-Robust Sony back catalog
-Works well on PS4 and PS5 consoles
-Low bandwidth requirements
REASONS TO AVOID
-PC app is a mess
-Tedious save transfer process
If you play mostly on a PS5 or PS4, PlayStation Plus Premium is still the greatest subscription to have even though it might not completely replace Sony's GamePass. PlayStation Plus separated into three services in 2022, with PS Plus Premium being the most costly premium. With it, you may play more than 300 streaming games on your PC or a PlayStation system, including titles from the PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, and PSP. Although I found the PC programme to be cumbersome and laborious when I first installed it on our test machine, it's the only (legal) way to play any of Sony's older games without a PlayStation system.
The main attraction of PlayStation Plus Premium is the abundance of games it offers that you really can't play anywhere else, such as the first God of War, Infamous, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, and many other Sony exclusives. Nevertheless, the PS5's inability to download older games for offline play remains disappointing, and the catalogue still lacks many beloved titles from previous PlayStation systems. PlayStation Plus Premium isn't great right now.
4. Amazon Luna
SPECIFICATIONS
Platforms: PC, Mac, Amazon Fire devices, mobile, smart TV
Resolution: Up to 1080pNetwork
Requirements: 10 MbpsGame Library: 100+Price: $10 per month
REASONS TO BUY
-Compatible with Amazon Fire devices
-Decent performance
-Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
-No way to download games
-Limited game selection
Even if Amazon Luna is one of the less consistent streaming services, it still has some appeal, especially if you're already a big fan of the Amazon network. You can watch over 100 games on several platforms, such as Amazon Fire tablets and Fire TV streaming devices, with Luna for $10 a month. Therefore, Amazon Luna makes some sense as a ready-made gaming platform if you have a Fire TV box or stick connected to your TV.
The main negative is that, with the exception of a few games that are available through the Ubisoft Connect programme (which, incidentally, charges an additional $15–18 each month), none of these games may be downloaded. In my experience, the Amazon Luna controller was likewise difficult to use, needing specific software to function well on both PCs and mobile devices. However, it's not technically necessary to play.
Whether you want to own streaming games or rent them for an unlimited amount of time is the most crucial factor to take into account when selecting a cloud gaming service. You can keep playing games you own for as long as you want, even if GeForce Now removes them from the service or shuts down entirely because Nvidia GeForce Now pulls from them. You are only paying for temporary access to games that are owned by Amazon outright on other services, like Amazon Luna. PlayStation Plus Premium and Xbox Game Pass fall in the centre because you can bring your own save data and own some of the games entirely.
Beyond that, we assess cloud gaming services based on facts: the quantity of games available, their individual prices, the amount of data they use, and so forth. For example, Nvidia GeForce Now has over ten times as many games than Amazon Luna, and depending on what you want to watch, GeForce Now might be the most expensive or least expensive service.
