Infrastructure Ĭloud gaming requires significant infrastructure for the services to work as intended, including data centers and server farms for running the games, and high-bandwidth internet connections with low latency for delivering the streams to users. This had typically be a base subscription model but service have also included costs to buy games to be run on the cloud service, even through the user does not own the game in the same fashion as with retail or digital distribution. Novel cost structures are required to cover these operating costs compared to traditional distribution. Further, the costs of cloud gaming shift from traditional distribution through retail outlets and digital storefronts to the data servers that run the cloud gaming services.

Even with high-speed connections are available, traffic congestion and other issues affecting network latency can affect the performance of cloud gaming. This can be a limitation for users in areas with lack of such options or where data caps may limit usage. However, cloud gaming requires a reliable, high-speed connection to the Internet. Some services may offer additional features to take advantage of this model, including the ability for a viewer to join a player's session and temporarily take control of the game. Cloud gaming can be made available on a wide range of computing devices, including mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, digital media players, or a proprietary thin client-like device. Ĭloud gaming can be advantageous as it eliminates the need to purchase expensive computer hardware or install games directly onto a local game system. Some cloud gaming services are based on access to a virtualized Windows environment, allowing users to download and install service clients and games as they normally would on a local computer. The client software handles the player's inputs, which are sent back to the server and executed in-game.

Cloud gaming platforms operate in a similar manner to remote desktops and video on demand services games are stored and executed remotely on a provider's dedicated hardware, and streamed as video to a player's device via client software.

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