The press conference made a few things clear. That Google is serious about this and has invested heavily with a huge resource pool. They seemed to have checked all boxes to deliver a compelling experience in terms of content with a focus on ease of access. But it was also as Google like as it could be. Here is a breakdown of the most noteworthy points from the conference.

A platform which is Gamer, Developer and Content Creator friendly

Google are establishing Stadia as a platform that is very developer friendly by offering their data centre as the platform, thus removing the limitations of the computing power offered within a box.

For gamers, this would mean high quality games which are ready in the datacentre and could be accessed instantly avoiding download and install times. This can be done on a multitude of devices like a tablet, PC, smartphone or Smart TV. And google have gone all the way to ensure that these games can be accessed from anywhere, quite literally. You can instantly play the game right after watching a trailer, or after doing a search on it, or while going through the game’s website. Google seemed to have been on a mission to offer the game to you right when your mind says “I wish I could play this” without having to go through the process of getting to a particular console/PC platform, loading it and then getting to play. Because, you know, you could drift away in to something else in the process and the business opportunity for that game is then lost. And Hey, who doesn’t like such ease of access.

The same amount of focus and effort can be seen in the integration of Content creator friendly options. The platform enables a more comprehensive interaction between content creators and their community, with options like having the community play with the creators in the same session. And having the ability to stream simultaneously while playing without any compromise in quality, within the same platform.

Backed by Impressive Tech, Partnerships and Hardware

Google claims that the Stadia features 10.7 GPU teraflops per instance which is more powerful than XB1 and PS4 pro combined. This no doubt will result in great looking games and it would be interesting to see how the games of the future will use the extra horsepower. The platform was tested back in October last year by the name of Project stream, where a resolution of 1080p was achieved with 60FPS on a graphics heavy AAA title (AC Odyssey) without any latency. Google promises that this will be bumped up to 4K @ 60FPS at launch with support for 8K @ 120FPS coming in the future. They also threw in the fact they will embrace full cross platform support (yet another slap on the wrist for Sony).

To help facilitate these games, Google announced that they have partnered with Unreal and Unity for game engines and several other middleware providers. Googles claims to have sent development hardware to more than 100 studios with over a 1000 creatives and engineers working on games for the platform. ID software was on the show floor to announce Doom Eternal on Stadia, which would run at 4K @ 60FPS. Google also announced, “Stadia games and entertainment studios”, an in house games studio headed by none other than Jade Raymond which will not only focus on first party games but also provide support to partner studios.

While these games can be played using any controller or keyboard, they also unveiled a new hardware in the form of the Stadia controller. Unlike conventional controllers, the Stadia controllers connects through wi-fi and directly accesses the data centre which runs the game, thus reducing latency. The controller also features a dedicated capture button to instantly share your play sessions on YouTube, and a Google Assist button to help you with the game on the fly, without having to look elsewhere.

More Google like than ever before…

Of course, no Google product is complete without its set of unique tools and Stadia is no different as it offers various options to devs, gamers and content creators. Below is the list of a few notable tools.

Stream Connect brings couch multiplayer back but with different stadia instances. This means that resources need not be shared by a single session there by compromising on quality. Instead each player on the screen will have their own play sessions, sort of like a LAN setup where multiple consoles work on their own sessions, but while displaying on a single screen.

State Share helps players share a playable moment from a precise point in a game including world state, player position inventory etc, all of which can be encoded with a link that can be shared with any number of people over the internet and not just your friends list.

Style transfer ML, uses machine learning to help save time on art. This was demoed on stage with a Dev explaining how it helps save time through the development process. And honestly, it was quite impressive.

Crowd Play helps you connect with content creators like never before, by letting you take part in the game session that is being streamed live.

And that was the conference in a nutshell. Admittedly this did not receive as much hype or attention prior to the showcase, but what was shown sure has the potential to change gaming as we know it. Google has managed to get everybody’s attention as a result. That’s not to say it looks perfect. There are quite a few questions looming over Stadia and it is yet to be seen how everything will be executed. However, let’s wear our positive hats on and stay excited for what is to come. All the best to Google. Keep us enthralled through your games.

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1. Gaming service/console will be announced

It is no secret that Google has been investing in gaming and looking to penetrate the ever growing market. But what they have been working on has been a mystery. GDC 2019 seems to be the perfect place to reveal it all. The way I see this, there are three possibilities here and one of them is likely to materialize. First is what most would anticipate but, in my opinion,, the least probable, Google unveiling a fully realized console much like Sony and Microsoft. The reason this is unlikely is due to the fact that streaming services are gaining traction and advances in technology are pointing towards consoles being irrelevant in the near future. That said Sony and Microsoft seem to think otherwise, at least for one more generation as they are currently working on their next generation of consoles. The second possibility and the most likely one is that Google will integrate their gaming service by streaming them through smaller multimedia-centric devices like Chromecast, Google home or something like Apple TV. Google seems to have the resources and tools to combine the capabilities of these devices with cloud computing to deliver a unique gaming experience. The third and the most ambitious possibility, at least in my opinion, is that Google’s gaming service could be entirely cloud-based and all one needs to play their games would be a Chrome browser in a modest PC or a decent Android phone. While this was pretty much conceived on the PC back in October last year with ‘Project Stream’ making Assassin’s Creed Odyssey playable on a Chrome browser, I am not sure if the same can be applied on a larger scale with millions of users accessing games at the same time. Whatever the case is, just the idea that any of the above (or none of it) can happen is just enough to keep the anticipation meter at peak. We’ll just have to wait and watch. All this only brings us to the second point which is……

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2. 2019 will be spicier than we anticipated

I did not see this coming. While news of Google ‘investing heavily’ in gaming has been whispered here and there for a while now, seeing them actually make their move in 2019 is something that I did not anticipate. This year was already shaping up to be one of the best years for gaming, thanks to much-anticipated titles releasing this year and the possibility of new console announcements from two of the industry juggernauts. Google joining the fray only makes things that much more exciting. Looking back, we have seen various companies try entering the industry with their consoles and services, only to fail. But there is one important aspect of Google that makes it not only a competent competitor but a force to be reckoned with. And that is……

3. This is Google

Google is one of the largest entities on Earth. As mentioned in point 1, they have the resources and tools to properly conduct R&D and make a splash in any industry. So, them wanting to enter the ever-expanding gaming market should not be taken lightly. The gaming industry dwarfs Hollywood in revenue and challenges technological limits constantly, and Google would certainly be aware of this fact. So it is reasonable to expect nothing short of revolutionary or mind-blowing from them. If they do exactly that, then they have a greater chance of success and in the process prove to be a formidable rival for Sony and Microsoft. In my opinion, if they reveal something unimpressive and lacklustre, they are just letting go of a golden goose.

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4. Sony and Microsoft will have to keep their guard up

Assuming Google does impress and also assuming that they would likely take the streaming route, it raises a question of what type of content will be supported. If we strictly talk games, we have already seen Ubisoft (AC Odyssey) involved in their project, and can only assume that they would support whatever platform Google creates. If this is the case many other third party developers and publishers could likely join. This would only mean that there is one more platform where a Call of Duty or FIFA can be played. So, Sony and Microsoft will have to come up with new strategies to one-up Google, if not strengthen their existing ones. Not to mention work on a shift in focus towards a streaming oriented generation if Google succeeds in it.

5. Gaming as we know it could change entirely

I may sound like I am getting ahead of myself here, but if the above speculation turns true then we could see games streaming and cloud computing enter the mainstream a lot sooner than we thought. This could make gaming consoles dormant and gaming will suddenly be more accessible and more appealing to a much larger audience. The exciting thing in all of this is that there is a very good chance that all of this could actually happen. Microsoft is rumoured to already be working on a streaming based console alongside a more traditional successor to the Xbox One. Amazon is also rumoured to be investing in gaming and is likely to take advantage of its Echo and Firestick install base to stream their games. All of this paint a completely different picture than the usual couch, console and TV that are associated with games. In an industry that evolves as rapidly as it grows, this does not seem out of the question at all.

Of course, all of the above is just speculation and the whole thing could turn out to be something entirely different. But to see a behemoth like Google cast its eye on gaming and to show up at GDC is proof enough that the industry is a lucrative business opportunity for the ones who are up for the challenge. Apart from a few missteps (remember Google glasses) in its storied history, Google has been known to deliver the goods when it comes to technology and innovation and gaming seems to be right up their alley. Only time will tell how everything will pan out. The good news is that we don’t have to wait long. Google will hold its keynote at GDC on March 19, 10 AM PST. Here’s hoping for an early E3.

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