Will the cloud enable gamers to play any video game, and end the debate and argument of why this platform is better than that one?
Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida revealed his hopes for the future of cloud gaming in a new interview. Yoshi-P stated in a video shared by Jounetsu-Tairiku Lite that he wants to create games that can be played on any platform via the cloud. In his opinion, this would eliminate the concept of console wars because there would be no need for different platforms. Yoshi-P believes this will happen within the next decade, and that it would have happened sooner if the coronavirus pandemic had not occurred. Connection speeds and server availability, in particular, will need to improve.
It’s easy to see why Yoshi-P wants this to happen from a creative standpoint. The director stated that this could significantly broaden the audience for games, putting an end to concepts such as exclusivity. More players getting to play games that creators have spent years developing could be a very good thing!
Cloud Gaming for Everyone:
It’s worth noting that Yoshi-P’spredictionhas already come true in part. Microsoft has enabled Xbox One users to play Xbox Series X|S games that would have been too powerful for the system otherwise, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, thanks to cloud gaming. Similarly, the Nintendo Switch now has cloud versions of games that would otherwise be unavailable, such as Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Resident Evil Village. Cloud gaming has already increased the number of games available to users of these platforms. Companies such as Ubisoft are also heavily investing in cloud gaming.
It’s not difficult to imagine things expanding much further than they are now, but PlayStation, Nintendo, and Microsoft all have a vested interest in keeping their exclusive games exclusive and not sharing them with others. Companies such as Square Enix have a financial incentive to create games that are exclusive to one platform or another. These are significant obstacles to overcome, and it’s difficult to imagine things changing so drastically in a decade.
The Negatives of Cloud Gaming:
While Yoshi-P’senthusiasmfor cloud gaming is understandable, many gamers are still skeptical. While the technology has a lot of promise, it also has a lot of drawbacks. We’ve seen servers for countless games go offline in recent years, rendering them unplayable. As digital storefronts have closed, we’ve also seen digital exclusive games become inaccessible. Games that can only be accessed via the cloud would also cease to exist.
This is especially concerning for those interested in video game preservation and retro gaming. Video games from 30 to 40 years ago can still be played on their original consoles as well as newer devices such as the Analogue Pocket or Atari 2600+. However, games released in the modern era run the risk of becoming unplayable in a matter of years (or even months) due to the manner in which they are released. Many gamers will resist an all-digital future unless companies find a solution to that problem.