concerned about than latency (though that is important!) since this is an
area outside of Apple, Google, and Microsoft’s control. As someone with
a self-imposed data cap on my Google Fi phone service, I know how easy
it is to reach your limit.
Google has stated that Stadia will support 4K HDR-enhanced
60-frames-per second gaming, with the potential for 8K 120-frames-
per-second gaming. That’s potentially a lot of data. Plus, with cloud
gaming, everything you play slowly chomps away at your data cap—even
a single-player experience like Assassin’s Creed. Truly hardcore gamers
may test the limits of their ISPs’ allowances.
In addition, cloud gaming demands that your console or other device
remains connected to the internet. If your ISP is having a bad speed day,
or it goes down entirely, you’ll be unable to play.
POTENTIALLY LOST ART
My biggest cloud-gaming concern, however, is the potential for lost art.
As much as I loathe the practice, I must address platform manufacturers
DQGUDELGIDQER\V¶ORYHIRUH[FOXVLYHFRQWHQWEHLW'/&RUIXOOJDPHV,W
VXSSRVHGO\PDNHVDFRQVROHPRUHDWWUDFWLYHE\R̆HULQJVRPHWKLQJWKDW
cannot be obtained elsewhere. So it’s not unreasonable to believe that
these upcoming cloud-based gaming platforms will walk a similar path.
But the massive, unfortunate downside is that should those cloud
platforms die, exclusives go to the grave with them.
,I\RXRZQD6ZLWFK3OD\6WDWLRQRU;ER[2QH\RXKDYHWKHRSWLRQWR
purchase game discs. You own them; they won’t vanish into the night
when Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft decide to stop supporting those
consoles. You can play the game discs on your friends’ consoles, too.
This is a very basic concept but one that’s vital to video game
preservation. Should Apple Arcade, Google Stadia, or Project xCloud
receive platform exclusives, they may be living on borrowed time.
“B-b-but what about PC gaming?” you stutter. Sure, PC gaming no
ORQJHULQYROYHVGLVFVEXW\RXGRGRZQORDGJDPH¿OHV6KRXOGVRPHWKLQJ
JRVRXWKVXFKDVZKHQ2XWUXQZDVSXOOHGIURP6WHDPGXHWR6HJDQRW
J
e
f
f
r
e
y
L
.
W
i
l
s
o
n
