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Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

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Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#41

Post by skohan »

chronogram wrote: post #36
deafcalculus wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The graphics API isn't that big a deal anymore. It's often a pretty small part of the engine codebase. Many games, especially those built on the popular engines like Unity, support both DirectX and Vulkan (and Sony's API too).

And OpenGL and Metal, and even the web! With a sweeping generalisation I'm going to say that a games company is either too small to care about the graphics API, or too big to care.

Tell that to graphics programmers. Imagine how much better performance you could expect from games if they could spend their time optimizing for one API, and not making compromises to target a half dozen.

Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#42

Post by skohan »

tzakrajs wrote: post #37
skohan wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There might be cases where Stadia will be too high-latency for some games/gamers, but I would wager it will make huge inroads in the untapped market of people who want to play games but can't or won't invest in gaming hardware.

Let’s revisit this in a year.

Sure thing

Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#44

Post by cududa »

shmerl wrote: post #18

Google finally advances Linux+Vulkan gaming using a side door that bypasses the market share blocker altogether. MS and Sony don't like it and plan to mirror Google. Instead, they should stop being lock-in jerks, and should support Vulkan as well.

Microsoft has been working on this ~2008. Google only started a few years ago.

Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#45

Post by eridius »

nerdjon wrote: post #16
XzAeRosho wrote: post #4

>While details have yet to be hammered out, the partnership will center on artificial intelligence and the cloud. The latter category includes plans for joint development of cloud gaming technology. So this agreement mostly focuses on Sony using Azure infrastructure for Cloud Gaming. I wonder how will Xbox will compete in this scenario, it's kind of weird hosting your competitor.

It's not like the tech industry is exactly new to using competing companies products. Microsoft using Mac (not even discretely). Apple using AWS, Google Cloud, Azure Amazon Selling competing products etc, etc This may be a bit of a specialized case, but if you run a cloud hosting provider that is not your primary (or original) business you will need to accept that likely be involved in running a competing service. (I…

Apple relying on Samsung to build components for iPhones is a huge one as well.

Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#47

Post by gsich »

skohan wrote: post #22
tzakrajs wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Stadia has overcome the speed of light, so yes it's a viable product now and needs a response. /s

There might be cases where Stadia will be too high-latency for some games/gamers, but I would wager it will make huge inroads in the untapped market of people who want to play games but can't or won't invest in gaming hardware.

yes, instead they buy phones for 1k.

Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#48

Post by unsigner »

shmerl wrote: post #34
deafcalculus wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The graphics API isn't that big a deal anymore. It's often a pretty small part of the engine codebase. Many games, especially those built on the popular engines like Unity, support both DirectX and Vulkan (and Sony's API too).

It is a lot bigger deal than you think, including for those very engine developers who work on Unity and etc. Having to deal with all extra lock-in APIs doesn't come for free. It takes time, resources and slows down releasing features to their users.

Vulkan _is_ a lock-in API, locking you into Google platforms; the one commercially viable platform using it is [recent versions of] Google's Android with another one on the horizon - Google Stadia. It's not necessary on Windows, not available on two of the three consoles, and not available without a wrapper on iOS and OSX.

(Technically, it is also available on Nintendo Switch, but there's also an arguably better alternative there.)

Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#49

Post by loudmax »

shmerl wrote: post #26
skohan wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a huge fan of the fact that Google is embracing a Linux + Vulkan stack for gaming, but I also want them to have meaningful competition. Yes it would be a dream scenario if MS & Sony started supporting Vulkan, but it would also be a nightmare scenario if Stadia started dominating the gaming market, and gaming technology stagnated for a decade at Vega56-class GPU's because there is no competitive pressure to push t…

Sure, competition is good. But it doesn't mean it should come with lock-in problems. MS learned not to mess things up on the Web (remember ActiveX and Silverlight?). But when it comes to gaming, they are still as nasty as in the '90s. And Sony is even worse in this regard. I agree about Stadia in general. I wouldn't want it to become too dominant, especially since it's like DRM on steroids - you can't back up anythin…

I think a lot of people are going to prefer to run games locally. I'm looking forward to playing strategy games on Stadia or games where lag isn't too critical. For quick reflex games, lag is important. And if VR games ever take off, lag is going to be critical.

Re: Sony and Microsoft set rivalry aside for cloud gaming alliance

#50

Post by freedomben »

shmerl wrote: post #26
skohan wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a huge fan of the fact that Google is embracing a Linux + Vulkan stack for gaming, but I also want them to have meaningful competition. Yes it would be a dream scenario if MS & Sony started supporting Vulkan, but it would also be a nightmare scenario if Stadia started dominating the gaming market, and gaming technology stagnated for a decade at Vega56-class GPU's because there is no competitive pressure to push t…

Sure, competition is good. But it doesn't mean it should come with lock-in problems. MS learned not to mess things up on the Web (remember ActiveX and Silverlight?). But when it comes to gaming, they are still as nasty as in the '90s. And Sony is even worse in this regard. I agree about Stadia in general. I wouldn't want it to become too dominant, especially since it's like DRM on steroids - you can't back up anythin…

You hit on my biggest concern, the fact that Stadia is DRM on steroids. Relative further reading for anybody that has questions on DRM and it's effects[1][2].

[1] https://www.defectivebydesign.org/

[2] https://www.defectivebydesign.org/what_is_drm_digital_restri...

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