Is Google gaming going to become a thing? Well, the biggest Internet provider on the planet sure sounds like it’s going to put together a new gaming service that will compete with the likes of Sony’s PS4, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo, among others.
According to BGR.com, via Kotaku, Google is apparently working on a gaming project that will be able to compete with the big boys in the industry, taking a “three-pronged approach,” per the Kotaku article.
According to Kotaku’s sources, Google is taking a three-pronged approach: “1) Some sort of streaming platform, 2) some sort of hardware, and 3) an attempt to bring game developers under the Google umbrella, whether through aggressive recruiting or even major acquisitions.”
Google gaming would bring another element to the Internet mogul, which currently doesn’t have anything that even resembles such a service. But, take all the news with a grain of salt — for now, anyway — because this isn’t the first time Google has at least teased the idea of targeting gamers with its own products and/or services.
Per the BGR piece, the biggest game-changer for the Google gaming concept is the ability for the company to make high-end gaming available without a dedicated console, like a PS4 or Xbox, focused on streaming services instead. This would go along with other players in the industry who are working to do the same, like Microsoft, Nvidia and EA.
As of now, the Google gaming “code name” is apparently Yeti, and the platform would process information to cloud computers and stream the games to users. Here’s what a person familiar with the project said, per BGR:
A person familiar with Yeti said the platform could bring games like The Witcher 3 to a tab in Google Chrome. Yeti would also be integrated with YouTube, the report notes, and would link up with whatever console Google might be developing.
Although we’re not sure how far along the project actually is quite yet, it sounds as if Google’s also looking to buy some gaming studios as well, which would be a necessary move (and major step) in making a Google gaming service a reality in the near future. But, again, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt, for now, because of previous hints that Google may have strategized to get into the space without execution.
That said, the interest is very real, and with the popularity of things like E-sports and other gaming platforms and free games, like Fortnite, the opportunity for one of the biggest tech companies on the planet to join the gaming race is there. We’ll see if it all comes to fruition.
(H/T BGR)