For some time I’ve been testing the various game streaming services to understand how truly usable they are and which is the best. I’ve run in-depth tests on Google Stadia and GeForce Now, while the opportunity to test Microsoft xCloud was more limited, as it was still in Beta.
How I Tested the Services
Game Streaming services are extremely dependent on internet connectivity. The bare minimum is a 20 Mbps ADSL connection — just to have a working service. My tests were conducted on a Gigabit FTTH fibre connection, focusing on service quality with the best value/price ratio, not on bandwidth variation.
The primary argument all vendors push is gaming on the go — but I find more interesting the possibility of investing in a subscription service instead of spending significant sums to upgrade a PC. With new-generation Nvidia cards shooting up to absurd prices (the RTX 3060 selling for €800–900 against a recommended price of €400), a “rented” service becomes increasingly attractive. And not only that: even those with a recent card can use Game Streaming to play titles they use rarely without reinstalling 40GB of game data.
Google Stadia
Google’s service benefits from deep integration with Google Chrome. All you need is a browser and your Google account. The service is genuinely well made… the real problem is the games. You cannot use titles you already own on other platforms: you’ll have to repurchase them from the Stadia store. This effectively ties you hand and foot to the platform, like a console. Great for new players, problematic for anyone with an established library on Steam, Epic or GOG.
Nvidia GeForce Now
Today this is my preferred service. Nvidia has partnered with the major online stores (Steam, Epic, GOG…) to allow you to use already-purchased titles without spending a single extra euro. Not all titles are available, but new ones are added continuously. For veteran gamers with a significant library, this makes it the best service currently available.
Free sessions of up to 1 hour maximum, or extended sessions with the €9.90/month subscription that also includes Ray Tracing for supported titles. Really quite good.
Microsoft xCloud with Xbox Game Pass
Microsoft does things big. The ace nobody else has is Xbox Game Pass: the subscription that lets you use all the catalogue games without additional purchases — and there are genuinely many important titles. xCloud is being added to this to play part of the catalogue directly from the cloud.
The problem: today the service is still in beta and remains closed to itself. If they don’t allow using cloud to play titles bought from third-party stores (Steam, Epic, GOG), it will remain interesting only for new purchases. A platform to keep an eye on for the future.
Conclusions
GeForce Now remains the best Game Streaming service on the market: it leaves you free to buy titles wherever you prefer, taking advantage of deals and discounts, then play them locally or in the cloud. Google Stadia is technically excellent but remains interesting only for new titles, penalised by the requirement to repurchase games. Microsoft with Xbox Game Pass has put together a powerful service, but it remains closed to itself and interesting only if the titles you need are in the catalogue and playable in the cloud. It will become truly compelling when it opens up to cloud execution of titles purchased elsewhere.
