Streaming has become the latest trend in media consumption, encompassing film, TV, and music. However, its impact in the video game domain is still catching up. Nevertheless, certain game streaming services have made significant strides towards becoming more prevalent, such as Xbox Game Pass, PS Plus, and select PC options.
Although the number of popular services has reduced, there are still some noteworthy ones to consider based on individual preferences. With this in mind, the blog will delve into the top video game streaming services for 2023 but before that, let’s take a moment to understand the essence of these services.
What is a Game Streaming Service?
We don’t mean ways to watch Esports or content producers that broadcast their live feeds on websites like Twitch when we say “gaming streaming services”. A video game streaming service is often a paid monthly subscription that enables you to play your favourite games on several devices.
Game streaming enables users to access remote hardware on the service’s servers for seamless gaming experiences. Rather than relying on your own hardware to run the games you love, game streaming allows you to connect to a robust PC over the internet via a client. Your inputs are sent to the server, where they are translated into game commands, while the client provides a live feed of video and sounds from the server hardware.
The days of partitioned hard drives and MacGyvered solutions for playing your favourite games are long gone. Gaming streaming services enable you to play while connected, much like the way in which TV and movie streaming services enable you to watch on your phone, tablet, laptop, TV, and other devices. Consider these two streaming methods to be the same even though some providers have slightly more nuances on what and where you can play.
Which Game Streaming Service Takes the Crown in 2023?
Keep in mind that for most game streaming services, you’ll require the appropriate console or device to play games online. Without a PlayStation console or a PC for its cloud gaming service, you won’t have access to PlayStation Plus games. Listed below are the top video gaming streaming services you can use and play today.
1. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
One of the top gaming services overall, Xbox Game Pass is essentially the best game streaming service for PC you can subscribe to right now. Once you subscribe, you will get access to the Ultimate tier’s robust streaming service in addition to its very sizable selection of Xbox and Windows PC titles.
With the streaming feature, you can send games from the cloud to a variety of gadgets, including an older Xbox One as well as Android phones, laptops, iPads, tablets, and MacBooks. The only true requirement is a compatible Xbox controller though certain games also support touchscreen controllers. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, priced at approximately $15 per month, isn’t the most budget-friendly option, and it only offers access to Xbox games. However, the overall quality of the service and the streaming experience remains unmatched.
2. Nvidia GeForce Now
Depending on your game library and how frequently you want to play in the cloud, Nvidia GeForce Now might either be one of the most expensive cloud game streaming services or one of the least expensive. GeForce Now lets you stream PC games that you already own from stores like Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect, as opposed to offering a pre-made collection. Despite not supporting every game on these platforms, it provides access to more than 1,500 games, far outpacing most of its rivals.
Casual cloud gamers can play for an hour at a time on Nvidia GeForce Now’s free tier although server queues may appear periodically. There are two paid options available for those looking for a smoother experience. Users can receive priority server access and take advantage of 1080p gaming by subscribing for $10 per month. As an alternative, players can stream from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 system for a higher monthly charge of $20 while enjoying 4K resolution and eight-hour gaming sessions.
3. PlayStation Plus Premium
While PlayStation Plus Premium is considered a somewhat flawed video game streaming services for PC, its game library is top-notch. The PlayStation Plus service was split into three tiers in 2022, with PS Plus Premium being the most expensive. It allows the user to play more than 300 streaming games on either a PlayStation console or on a computer.
The main attraction of PlayStation Plus Premium is that it gives you access to a huge selection of games that you can’t find anywhere else, such as Infamous, God of War (2005), Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, and many other Sony exclusives.
4. Amazon Luna
Amazon Luna is one of the more uneven game streaming services, but it still has its appeal, especially if you’ve already got a lot invested in the Amazon ecosystem. You can watch more than 100 games through Luna for $10 per month on a range of platforms, including Amazon Fire tablets and Fire TV streaming devices. Therefore, Amazon Luna makes sense as a ready-made gaming platform if you have a Fire TV box or stick connected to your TV.
However, Luna’s biggest disadvantage is that there is virtually no way to download any of these games, with the exception of a few that are provided by the Ubisoft Connect service (which, of course, costs an additional $15–18 each month).
The Final Boss Battle
The way we play video games has been revolutionised by the availability of video game streaming services, which gives viewers and broadcasters a wide variety of options. As 2023 approaches, numerous platforms have significantly increased their market share, with Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, and PS Plus leading the field.
These services offer a range of options for players, accommodating various preferences and gaming requirements. There is a method out there that fits your needs, whether you prefer streaming games you currently own or using an already-built library. Cloud-based gaming’s simplicity has led to the availability of both affordable and expensive subscription alternatives, opening up the gaming experience to a wider audience.
We can anticipate that these streaming services will keep developing as technology progresses, providing increasingly larger game libraries, greater graphics, and slicker gameplay. Video game streaming services, which embrace the future of gaming, open the door to a thrilling and immersive gaming universe where gamers can explore, compete, and communicate like never before.
