San Francisco (AFP)

Google is not the first big group to get into cloud gaming, but it is certainly the most anticipated, because its success, or failure, will determine the near future of this stammering market - that of video games released from material constraints.

Stadia, the platform for video games on the "cloud" (remote), is serving Tuesday in 14 countries (North America and Europe), with a catalog of thirty games.

His promise? Be able to play on any screen (computer, TV connected to the internet, smartphone - only Google's pixel for now) without the need for a console or a processor with state-of-the-art graphics.

In "cloud gaming", the computing power, which ensures the quality of the image and the fluidity of the action, is relocated on servers. Players only need a compatible screen and a Stadia controller.

Other similar offers already exist, such as Sony's PlayStation Now, which has accumulated nearly 700,000 subscribers in 5 years. But the Japanese company only offers part of its catalog on this platform.

For Stadia, the bar of success is 10 million subscribers in one year, assesses Laurent Michaud, director of studies at Idate.

For now, the global cloud gaming market represents less than 300 million euros, according to Idate, which expects 406 million euros by the end of 2020, and 1.2 billion euros for 2024.

For comparison, the complete video game industry was worth $ 120 billion in 2018, according to SuperData.

- Bet -

"There is not a major player in the industry working on a + cloud gaming + solution: Intel, Microsoft with xCloud ... Even publishers, like Ubisoft, are thinking about solutions internally," says M Michaud.

If Stadia walks, the others will follow. "But if it does not take, it may take 5 or 10 years before this technology is revived," said James O'Brien, professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Some developers fear that Stadia is just one bet among others.

But "Google has invested a lot," says Chris Early, vice president of Ubisoft in charge of partnerships, like the one with Stadia. "They had to build an entire infrastructure (...) Internally they say it's a bet from the level of Gmail," he continues.

The success, or not, of the platform, will stick to a mix of factors. Techniques, first: the player must not feel the latency - the few milliseconds between pressing the button and the movement of the character on the screen - knowing that images in 4K (very high definition) weigh very heavy, and that the 8K is coming soon.

In this field, the search engine is very well positioned, thanks to its many data centers around the world.

- "Social network" -

"It's a technological revolution, but their long-term challenge will be to convince a broad user base," said Ted Pollak, video game market specialist at Jon Peddie Research.

The analyst believes that Stadia should first attract newcomers, tempted by games, without wanting to invest in expensive equipment.

"They may also try some purists of the game on computer, thanks to the ability to play from their couch to something more casual on their TV," he adds.

Google will offer different subscriptions, including the "Stadia Pro" at $ 9.99 per month, but experts are divided on the viability of this model applied to video games.

The quality and variety of the catalog will also play an important role, as for streaming platforms, that consumers can choose based on their favorite series.

Not to mention the social dimension. Many teens and young people subscribe to Xbox Live or PSN (Sony) because these connected gaming services also allow them to find their friends online.

According to James O'Brien, "the ability of Google to adopt Stadia will depend greatly on its ability to build a social network in the cloud gaming service."

© 2019 AFP