Cloud gaming has long been touted as an alternative to traditional gaming setups, promising users the ability to play the most popular games without having to shoulder the cost of expensive hardware. This is done by streaming the game via a remote data center onto one’s local hardware, reducing the burden placed onto one’s device. However, this comes with various problems, including latency, network stability, and accessibility issues. Tests of cloud gaming softwares also show that most users face negative experiences. However, the introduction and implementation of newer technologies–such as edge computing, 5G networks, and A.I. algorithms– could elevate cloud gaming to the next level. With this rise, there are ethical considerations surrounding digital equity, ownership concerns, and increased energy consumption that must be made. Overall, while cloud gaming continues to evolve, its practicality as an alternative remains uncertain.
Background
It’s October 2017. An eighth grader walks home excitedly, eager to play Fortnite with his friends. Despite being one of the most popular video games, the high demands of the game have left many gaming devices, including his, struggling to keep up. However, GeForce Now (a cloud gaming software by Nvidia, which promises to run intensive games without the need for the hardware to match it) has raised his hopes.
Later that night, the boy eagerly boots up the software –only to find that the experience is nowhere near his expectations. Every time he moves his mouse, the on-screen cursor takes a second to catch up. He searches online for fixes, but is ultimately unsuccessful. Dejected, he logs off, realizing that cloud gaming was not the solution he’d hoped for.
While cloud gaming has come a long way in the past eight years, it still doesn’t deliver. Latency remains a large problem for cloud gamers and ethical issues around subscriptions for games have also surfaced, causing discontent within the community. With that being said, solutions are actively being worked on in order to combat these issues. The advent of networking devices such as 5G and edge computing has shown that the future of cloud gaming is not quite so bleak. In this essay, the various issues surrounding cloud gaming and its possible solutions will be discussed further.
How Does Cloud Gaming Work?
Cloud gaming, sometimes called game streaming, is a service where games are run via remote data centers and streamed to your device [1]. The game itself is rendered by top tier hardware, and the information from that is streamed to your display. The game checks for any inputs from your controller, keyboard, or mouse many times a second, which is then processed and sent back as an action within the game. This allows you to simulate playing the game on your own device, even if the game is not being executed directly on your local computer [1]. As information is constantly being sent back and forth between the two endpoints, a strong internet connection is necessary to facilitate the process.
This is done most often through what is called a client-server model, as seen in Figure 1. [2] What this means is that the player’s device, generally a computer (but could be a mobile device or gaming console) acts as the “client”, and the service provider’s remote data centers act as “servers.” The client requests the server for a specific game to play, and the server grants this request via an Internet connection and streams the game to the client. It is very similar to, for example, Netflix: the client asks to watch the second season of Squid Game, and the server presents to them episode one of the series.
Figure 1: The client-server model.
This differs from traditional gaming setups, where games are downloaded and played directly on that device. The advantage of this is that the burden that is normally placed on the user’s hardware is instead offloaded onto much stronger computers, allowing even lower spec computers to run demanding games. When executed perfectly, this would allow anyone from anywhere to play the best and most popular games, regardless of how strong your gaming setup is.
Persistent Challenges
The viability of cloud gaming is hindered greatly by the current network systems available [1]. Cloud gaming requires a strong and consistent internet connection: contrary to traditional gaming, where inputs are processed by local hardware, cloud gaming needs a continuous stream of data to be moving in between the client and the server [2]. If the internet connection falters for even a second, the game will begin to noticeably lag. For example, imagine a phone call with someone who is in the middle of the woods. At best, you would be able to hear about every third word that this person is saying, even if your own connection is strong; similarly, if the internet connection on either side is shoddy, only every couple of actions would be processed and rendered to your screen.
Figure 2: An in-game picture of League of Legends, one of the most popular games. The “51 ms” on the top right indicates that there are 51 milliseconds of delay between a click and the correlated action. High ms results in laggy gameplay.
Lag isn’t just an issue in cloud gaming, however. Delay exists even without internet issues because of the physical distance that the data must travel. In a traditional gaming setup, the information only needs to go from you, to the game’s data center, and back. However, when cloud gaming, the information must travel from your computer to the cloud gaming company’s data center, and then the game and back [3]. This physical distance often causes heavy lag, depending on where you are. For example, in Figure 2 you can see that the delay is 51 milliseconds. The servers for League of Legends are located in Chicago, and the picture is taken from a computer in the Los Angeles area. However, if you are living on the east coast, New York for example, your delay would only be around 15 ms.
A number of key quality indicators (KQIs) indicate that many gamers have a negative experience with cloud gaming [4]. These KQIs measure things like input lag (how long it takes between an actual button press and the queued action being taken in game), as well as frame rate stability (how smooth or consistent the game’s video feed is). These present another issue outside of latency with cloud gaming, which is perceived frame rate. Oftentimes, when playing on cloud gaming softwares without the most pristine internet connection, the returning visual feed can seem choppy and, at times, missing pixels. This means that gamers can miss important details during matches, especially for games that require split-second decision making.
Internet bandwidth is a necessary networking component that determines how much data can be transmitted at once. Often, cloud gaming requires a lot more bandwidth in order to stream games. For example, when a game is played on a traditional setup, the average game only requires around 150 kbps. However, when cloud gaming, that same game might require up to 20 Mbps, a near 200 times increase [5]. Most people do not have access to this much bandwidth, as more bandwidth requires spending more money on a better internet connection.
Figure 3: The homepage of Nvidia GeForce Now’s browser source.
Evidently, cloud gaming has a number of issues that stop it from being a truly viable counterpart to traditional gaming. Take Nvidia GeForce Now (Figure 3), one of the most developed cloud softwares right now. In order to test the relationship between the cloud computing behemoths and popular internet service providers (ISPs), researchers conducted real-time measurements to see how good cloud gaming could be [5]. These tests consisted of testing various network connections (wireless vs. wired) as well as the amount of network bandwidth available in order to paint a picture of the user experience. The results? Not great. They found that under perfect conditions, cloud gaming could be a reliable alternative. In less than perfect conditions, however, unstable networks and high traffic resulted in frustrating-at-best gameplay [5]. This held true for other cloud gaming services. In a New York Times comparison of Xbox, Playstation, Nvidia, and Amazon cloud gaming platforms, participants found that all had latency issues and determined overall performance did not match cost [6]. These findings raise an important question: if the peak of the gaming mountain could only provide a subpar experience, how could cloud gaming come out as a viable product?
Edge Computing, 5G Networks, and A.I.
Despite this, it’s not all doom and gloom. As cloud computing continues to evolve, so do its technological counterparts. One example of this is edge computing, a newer method of processing that could be a novel solution to the latency issue.
Edge computing refers to the decentralization of data processing. [7] By building more checkpoints (smaller physical data centers) and using A.I. to sift through the most important information, the burden of processing is much more evenly distributed between servers. As such, the speed at which information can travel is much faster than in a direct route, largely as a result of decreased internet traffic. Since standard cloud gaming architecture works by passing information to and from a centralized data center [3], the physical distance often causes slight to severe lag. Edge computing solves this issue, placing a marker between the client and the server [7]. Let’s take the same example from before – the gamer in LA, and the server in Chicago. If there was a smaller server placed in Las Vegas, the travel time would be cut significantly, as the bulk of the information sent would only be traveling from LA to Las Vegas, while also reducing network congestion. This would help gamers get a much smoother experience.
Another thing to make note of is the release of 5G networks, which is continuing to spread through homes. Similar to the previous generations of networking, 5G internet uses radio waves to transmit information between one’s device and the rest of the world [8]. However, compared to the older 4G networks, 5G offers faster speeds and higher bandwidth, which would prove to be extremely beneficial for cloud gamers who may be experiencing harsh latency issues.
Figure 4: A speedtest of my (relatively) newly installed 5G internet, which can go up to 10x faster than 4G. Under peak conditions, 5G can go up to 100x faster than 4G.
Lots of 5G infrastructure use existing 4G frameworks, inhibiting the potential of 5G. With the development of standalone 5G infrastructure (separate from 4G infrastructure), more people will be able to have access to the ultra fast speeds and turn that into a smoother, more enjoyable gaming experience [8]. A seemingly simple solution, the continued rollout of 5G would make cloud gaming more effective overall. However, the biggest drawback to this is cost. Most households cannot afford to simply upgrade their internet for the sake of computer gaming, especially not those who cannot afford a traditional gaming setup in the first place. Regardless, as network infrastructure continues to develop, these upgrades should become cheaper overall and more accessible for most.
With continued development in infrastructure and A.I., new methods of networking bring discussions of potential improvements in the client-server model. For instance, using A.I. to allocate resources across server networks allows for a smoother experience based on the game that one is playing [3]. This is normally done through automated data compression and encoding techniques, which reduce the amount of bandwidth needed to transfer the same amount of data over the internet. For example, a game that is more intensive will eat more resources than a less demanding game, meaning that everyone gets a similar gaming experience. Continued improvement in this area would serve to increase server efficiency, as A.I. algorithms are not yet perfect.
Oftentimes, service providers will try and compensate for latency through predictive A.I. algorithms [5]. These algorithms attempt to detect what the user is using the internet for. If you are watching a YouTube video, the necessary amount of power will be allocated to make it happen. More power will be allocated for playing a game, for instance, compared to a more simple task like browsing the web. While these predictions do the job in some cases, there is lots of room for inaccuracies in gameplay. Coupled with the fact that some games take a lot more bandwidth to run than others, predictive algorithms still need a lot of improvement to become viable.
But these aren’t perfect solutions. Edge computing requires an immense amount of investment [7]. 5G infrastructure is still not fully developed yet, at least on a global scale, meaning that the availability is still uneven across areas. A.I. algorithms won’t get it perfectly right every time, likely making the experience for some people worse [8]. Until these sacrifices are made or new breakthroughs in technology are seen, it is likely that cloud gaming will stay largely unpopular.
Ethical Considerations
As cloud gaming gains more traction, ethical questions must be considered. Although cloud gaming promises higher availability to a wider audience, one must consider the “digital divide”: gamers living in areas where the infrastructure is not as developed still lack the means to access their favorite games [9]. This creates an issue of equity, where those who fit certain demographics – wealthier, urban people – will be able to take advantage of cloud gaming, while the less privileged cannot.
One must also consider the idea that people will cease to own their own games [10]. Many cloud gaming softwares are run through a subscription service, where the user has to pay a monthly fee (around $20 a month) to access and play video games on said software. This type of subscription means that the user no longer owns the game that they are playing on. And while there are positives to this kind of model, namely game discoverability and convenience, this comes with a variety of problems. Companies will control every aspect of game consumption that the public has access to [11]. Whether that be the ability to pull certain games from the market or make predatory games targeting certain demographics, much of the power by general consumers is lost. Some communities have already tried to fight against this shift into subscription based gaming, but have been largely unsuccessful. Stopping this trend requires a lot more say from the gaming community, which we might never see so long as the perceived pros outweigh the cons.
Another thing to think of are the environmental factors. Data centers are extremely expensive and energy costly. The movement of all this data contributes heavily to an increased carbon footprint. So much so that a single cloud computing center consumes as much energy as 50,000 homes [12]. This kind of energy consumption is unprecedented, and often overlooked because it’s not an active process in people’s lives. And although the personal gaming setups for people might be less energy intensive, this is easily outweighed by the constant and increasing demand for cloud gaming centers. It is extremely important for cloud gaming providers to realize this and take steps towards renewable energy, where technologies will hopefully advance in the future.
Closing Statements
Major technology companies such as Microsoft and Sony are investing in cloud computing, perhaps initiating a shift away from traditional gaming setups [10] [13]. One example is the release of the PlayStation Portal, which is a handheld version of the popular gaming console. This device could connect to the PlayStation library through the internet, eliminating the need to be present in front of your console and TV. Already, games that were available only for consoles are being pushed onto other platforms through cloud gaming as well. Many aim towards a future where games can be played on any device, anywhere, instead of requiring the player to sit in front of their TV to be able to play.
Cloud computing also marks new research opportunities, not necessarily just centered around games. For example, researchers posit that through improvements in cloud computing, optimizations in video compression and streaming techniques could improve alongside it. [14] This would markedly help all types of professions, hobbyists, and more, all outside of the gaming world as advancements in latency and bandwidth usage would be much more efficient.
The question is, will cloud gaming ever take over traditional gaming as the dominant platform? A survey taken on the future of cloud gaming says: probably not [15]. Until the many issues present are fixed, most people will be sticking to a traditional gaming setup.
Links for Further Reading:
For more information about edge computing – https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/cloud-computing-dictionary/what-is-edge-computing/
About 5G standalone networks – https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/5G-standalone-5G-SA
