CLOUDGAMING

CLOUDGAMING –ARE WE THERE YET?

By Lynn Pearce

Depending on who you speak to, the future has arrived already! However, the more I read, it seems to not be the case – yet! We have come a long way in mobile gaming and even augmented reality, developers are constantly rolling out the latest technology updates to improve gameplay without any lag, 5G is readily available, especially in emerging markets and casino games are becoming more exciting, including live casino, and in-play betting.

According to Newzoo, my go-toguide for gaming analytics, cloud gaming is expected to surpass $1 billion in revenue and 23 million paying customers by the end of this year, and revenue is projected to grow to more than $5 billion by 2023 as the technology improves.

So, what does the future really look like for the gaming industry? And what exactly is cloud gaming, will everything be dependent on cloud technology and outsourcing hardware requirements? Imagine not having to buy an expensive PC, console, or other gaming peripherals, sounds great, but how will this affect the user experience, or will they even care? Cloud gaming is a way of playing games online through remote servers, hosted in the cloud. This means that you do not need to download the games, as the games will be served to you via online streaming to your home or mobile device, something we are all familiar with already. And the best part is, even games that are not compatible with your device can still easily run via the cloud. All you will need to do is use an app on your device,have 5G or a high-speed internet connection and voila! You can play any game you want, if the game itself is available in the cloud. Obviously, this also means that in

countries where online gaming is not permitted, players will still be able to access games through remote servers – and play their favorite games, so I am not quite sure how this will go down in some countries!

Another great advantage, from the research that I have done, is that these advanced cloud systems can handle millions of gamers playing simultaneously! Cloud gaming on mobile devices will allow for the full web-based experience, emulated on the player’s browser.This is great for gaming communities, like sports bettors using in-play during live games and esports online tournaments for players and their spectators and fans.Casinos and sportsbooks have realized the importance of improving their platforms’ scale so users can game without friction. Graphical interfaces are becoming more realistic, and players online will have many different games to play – and wager on. The large number of online gaming companies will spur further innovation rapidly.

Another benefit with regards to cloud computing, is that providers have invested heavily in security and data integrity, resulting in a much more secure online environment for online consumerswho do not have to worry about their personal data, which will ultimately be more protected in the cloud.

According to Roundhill research, technology such as cloud gaming, blockchain, virtual reality, and the metaverse may further enhance the player experience. Gaming in the cloud will eliminate the need for hardware, requiring only an internetenabled screen to access gambling experiences via a capable bandwidth connection. Transferring the computing liability to remote servers could also reduce downtime for sportsbooks, which is critical during large sporting events, with many bets being placed. Blockchain

technology could improve settlement times related to deposits and withdrawals, contingent on regulatory compliance. Blockchains could also automate some back-office tasks like document collection and user verification, which may improve margins for operators and allow them to reallocate spending to consumer acquisition.

Obviously, all this gaming on cloud technology and the opportunities it presented was not lost on Big Tech! Google was first off the mark, releasing its Stadia subscription service in November 2019, but this service was poor initially – and the games were too few to mention, although they have added to it. Facebook also got on board with cloud technology, hosting an interactive reality TV game, Rival Peak, where millions of viewers could vote on how characters should act and interact. The idea behind that test was to allow people to chill and get into games with their friends on Facebook. Microsoft are making their cloud gaming services available on more devices, and Amazon broadened access to its growing cloud service. NVIDIAhas been actively developing cloud gaming technology. In January 2018, GeForce NOW cloud gaming PC beta was released. In February 2020, it was opened for all players.

While cloud gaming is currently a miniscule part of the video gaming industry, its scope could be huge. As Matt O’Neill of Whatnerd says: “Sony bought cloud gaming company Gaikai in 2012 and now has PlayStation Now. Microsoft recently came out with Xbox Cloud Gaming (formerly Project xCloud). The two largest companies in console gaming are clearly gearing up for a cloud-based future. Mix in Google’s efforts with Stadia and Amazon’s upcoming attempt with Luna—the two biggest companies in tech—and you’d have to be blind not to see that cloud gaming isn’t just a passing fad”.

In conclusion, cloud gaming is certainly gaining in momentum right now, and I cannot wait to see mostof the online gaming companies joining the cloud, they have the games, all they need to do is get their heads into the cloud – the future is now!

US Online Slots Company Sued Over Refusal To Pay

AUS gaming company is set to go to court over refusal to pay a gambler what they saw as a $100,000 jackpot on their mobile phone. Lisa Piluso from Pennsylvania is suing American Gaming Systems (AGS) along with 14 other individuals for failure to payout jackpots.

Piluso playing on her mobile phone in New Jersey says the company refused to pay her the jackpot even thou she took a screen grab of the prize and AGS only offered to pay her $280 instead of the $100,000 shown, however they did make another offer of $1,000.

In the lawsuit Piluso claims AGS are guilty of consumer fraud in connection to her claimed win on 2nd October 2020. In a statement from her lawyer Piluso claims: “I’m an experienced online player, and I was shocked when AGS officials, including the company president, told me they weren’t going to pay, even when I showed them the screenshot that I made of the $100,000 jackpot.” The statement went on to say, “They said I actually won about $300, but they then offered me $1,000, saying we were ‘nice people,’” Piluso said. “How many other players have been in the same situation but agreed to settle for a fraction of their winnings after being told they, too, were ‘nice people?’” Division of Gaming Enforcement investigated the issue, informing Piluso that there was an error in the game” that wrongly failed to clear bonus symbols from previous rounds from a player’s screen.

“This error caused the customers to believe that their bonus round winnings were higher than the actual winnings.”

The New Jersey regulator said it had taken action against AGS on the matter with a reported $1,000 fine for failure to ensure the game worked correctly.