Two of the biggest technological developments in recent years that have completely transformed how we interact with video games are cloud computing/gaming and handheld gaming devices. They have made video games more accessible and enjoyable to play.
The gaming industry has embraced cloud gaming capabilities, and the manufacturers who make dedicated handheld gaming devices and smartphones have also helped take the mobile online gaming experience to extraordinary new heights.
Here is a closer look at whether the exciting combination of handheld devices and cloud gaming could define the gaming industry’s future.
What exactly is cloud gaming, and is it the future of online gaming?
Cloud gaming is a term that refers to playing online games from almost any Wi-Fi/internet-connected device, such as a desktop computer, laptop, smart TV, tablet, console, or smartphone. Games are hosted at remote servers and streamed directly to your device across the internet in real-time.
You can play cloud games from almost any location on the planet.
This type of online service can also be compared to the thousands of computer-generated online slot machines that are typically hosted on the cloud and found at fully licensed and regulated online casinos, such as the globally renowned Comeon casino website.
It’s also similar to the movies and television shows we can watch on major streaming sites like Netflix or Prime. The content is all stored on the cloud.
This technology has made playing games and watching our favourite content more flexible, affordable, and accessible. It allows gaming sites to offer an almost unlimited number of games and movie streaming sites to do the same.
However, to ensure smooth, uninterrupted streaming with high-definition quality and zero lagging or buffering issues, people accessing games in the cloud need excellent internet/Wi-Fi speeds and a high bandwidth, preferably 5G.
Cloud gaming is still in its relative infancy, and there’s a long way to go before it overtakes traditional online gaming and offline gaming. The market continues to grow annually, and it looks like it will one day become the dominant way to play games online.
Are handheld devices also the future of online gaming?
More people than ever are also turning away from their consoles, desktop computers, and laptops to play their favourite games from their smartphones or their dedicated handheld gaming devices like a SteamDeck, Asus ROG Ally, Nintendo Switch, or Lenovo Legion Go.
Gaming from a mobile device is far more convenient than gaming from a static desktop computer. Mobile gamers have a higher degree of freedom to play from anywhere. It’s simple, on-the-go gaming.
Final thoughts
Playing today’s best triple-A titles from a custom or prebuilt desktop computer, laptop, or console, such as an Xbox or PlayStation 5, is still here to stay, but the handheld gaming sector is showing promising growth and could one day overtake these traditional online gaming platforms.
Players looking for a more immersive gaming experience and prefer watching the action over a bigger screen and gaming with fewer distractions will always prefer PC gaming. In contrast, those looking for a quick fix on the go can always turn to cloud gaming from a handheld device.
