NVIDIA Officially Launches Google Stadia Competitor
The PC gaming industry transitioned long ago to digital downloads, with platforms like Steam replacing the need for physical discs. The next big change could be the rise of streaming, where powerful servers in remote data centers equipped with high-end graphics hardware run games and stream the result to the player.
Alphabet's (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google Stadia game streaming service, which launched late last year, was the highest-profile attempt so far to bring game streaming into the mainstream. The service has its flaws. For one, Stadia requires gamers to purchase the Stadia version of games they want to play on the service, even if they already own that game on another platform. Some games are included as part of the monthly membership, but most games need to be bought separately.
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), the market leader in graphics cards, is taking a different approach. After testing its GeForce NOW game streaming service for years, NVIDIA has finally made GeForce NOW available to everyone. Unlike Stadia, NVIDIA's service allows gamers to play games they already own on platforms including Steam. Instead of trying to build an entirely new platform, NVIDIA is simply adding a new option for PC gamers.
Source Fool.com
