A recent report from The Information suggests that Google may make a foray into console gaming with the Google Yeti streaming service. Information regarding the release of this service is scarce, but it’s suggested that the games will be delivered either over Chromecast or a brand new Google gaming console.
The Google Yeti streaming service at this point is just a code name, but the final release would reportedly allow players to subscribe to the service to enjoy a collection of games, similar to the setup with Sony’s wildly successful PlayStation Plus program. However, the Google Yeti streaming service would stream games from an offsite computer, leading us to believe that gamers will be able to enjoy a large amount of power with an internet-connected device that is far more affordable than a high-end system or PC.
The Information has revealed that “an early version” of the Google Yeti streaming service was designed to be delivered over a Chromecast, with the details of that functionality still up in the air considering that there doesn’t appear to be a way for a game controller to connect to the device in its current iteration. The report suggests, however, that the tech giant has recently been experimenting with their own gaming console – purportedly to be used with the Google Yeti streaming service. The project is led by two Google hardware executives: Mario Queiroz, the vice president of product management, and Majad Bakar, the vice president of engineering. The fact that these two individuals are involved suggests that the Google Yeti streaming service console, if ever released, will include brand new hardware.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from a potential Google Yeti streaming service is the fact that it removes the requirement to purchase expensive hardware. By offloading all the game processing to the cloud, Google is able to use their infrastructure to deliver games with a subscription service at a fraction of the price it would cost for a gamer to buy a complete system. For many, a small charge each month is much more manageable than the large expense of purchasing a new game console or computer. While Sony’s PlayStation Plus service and Microsoft’s Games with Gold accomplish similar feats in terms of free games via a subscription service, Google’s platform would be unique in that it doesn’t require the purchase of a high-end gaming system to function.
Google has been testing the waters in the gaming arena with the Android-focused Google Play Games service as well as with YouTube Gaming (intended to be a competitor to Twitch). The release of a Google Yeti streaming service, however, would be a large leap that could serve to establish Google in the console gaming market. Moving into streaming games isn’t much of a stretch considering the huge amount of infrastructure they already have from YouTube, as well.
One potential downside with the release of the Google Yeti streaming service is the fact that many games require precise inputs that deliver information in a fraction of a second. With current technology, it’s difficult to play shooters or other games that require pinpoint accuracy and immediate data about inputs due to the lag involved with streaming content. If there’s any company that can build a network that will address these issues, however, it’s Google. As one of the biggest companies in the world with access to huge amounts of resources and the best talent in the technology industry, it’s clear that the Google Yeti streaming service could very well go off without a hitch.
The Google Yeti Streaming service has reportedly been in development for two years, and is so far along that executives within the company had even suggested a potential Holiday 2017 release date. As such, it likely won’t be too long before we get new information regarding Google’s latest gaming project.
