Top-Ranking Cloud Gaming Platforms : The Ultimate List
Top-Ranking Cloud Gaming Platforms : The Ultimate List
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- We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best cloud gaming services available.
The cloud gaming marketplace has never been more exciting or versatile than it is today. You can play the latest games on almost any device—from a budget laptop to a smartphone or tablet —with awesome graphical quality and for a surprisingly low price.
UPDATE: 07/09/2024
We’ve reviewed our recommendations and are confident these are still the best cloud gaming services available.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Best Cloud Gaming Service Overall
See at xbox
Nvidia GeForce Now
Best Free Cloud Gaming Service
See at nvidia
PlayStation Plus
Best Cloud Gaming Service for Classic Titles
See at playstation
Shadow (2018)
Best Cloud Gaming Service for Power Users
See at shadow
Amazon Luna
Best Cloud Gaming Service for Prime Members
See at amazon
What to Look For in a Cloud Gaming Service in 2024
While game streaming doesn’t need as much data as you might think, with faster internet connections and the widespread availability of 5G cellular networks, cloud gaming has quickly become a popular way to access today’s hottest titles.
Streaming Netflix is one thing, but streaming the game and relaying your gamepad input requires speeds that weren’t available just a few short years ago. Today, however, most households can easily (and successfully) game through the cloud.
Cloud gaming might be the future, but there are plenty of factors to consider before signing up for one or more of these services. For one, you’ll need to ensure you have a reliable connection wherever you plan to game. Whether that’s a high-speed internet connection at home or an unlimited 5G plan for your phone, you’ll need to have a robust network to find success with any of the services listed below.
Once you’ve determined that your network is up to the task, you’ll need to figure out what games you’re interested in playing. Do you want to have access to a growing catalog every month for a set price? Or would you rather have remote access to an entire PC that lets you play anything you own? Cloud gaming is more diverse than ever—whether you’re looking to replace a gaming PC or play Xbox games on your smartphone, there’s an option with your name on it.
Pricing is always a factor with monthly services, and cloud gaming runs the gamut from entirely free to ridiculously expensive. Determining if a service is worth the cost depends on how much content it provides and how often you use it. Some of our favorite platforms are a bit pricey, but they bring a lot of functionality for the right user.
Since cloud streaming is finally coming into its own, there’s a lot of competition on the market. That also means that sometimes cloud streaming services don’t work out—the most notable being Google’s announcement to shut down Stadia . If streaming services are slowing down on new releases, you might want to consider that a red flag, and look into different platforms for your gaming.
If you’re having trouble narrowing down the options, we’ve listed the five best cloud gaming services below. These are supported by a wide range of devices and come with various monthly price tags. No matter your budget or needs, one of these five should fit the bill.
How Did We Research | ||
---|---|---|
Models Evaluated | Hours Researched | Reviews Analyzed |
12 | 5 | 8 |
How-To Geek’s product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »
Best Cloud Gaming Service Overall: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
✓ Impressive catalog of games | ✗ Can only play select games in the Game Pass catalog |
✓ Wide variety of supported devices | |
✓ Constant updates from Microsoft |
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has long been hailed as one of the best deals in gaming. For just $17/month, you’ll gain access to a catalog of downloadable games for console and PC, along with cloud streaming support for PC, console, and mobile via a feature known as Xbox Cloud Gaming .
If you’re playing on PC or mobile, you’ll be able to use your standard controller or mouse and keyboard to control the action. If you’re on mobile, you’ll also have access to touch controls on select titles. Mouse and keyboard controls are set to be added to Xbox Cloud Gaming in the future, as well.
Microsoft is all-in with mobile cloud gaming, going as far as to create a lineup of official Otterbox gear to help get gamers up and running on the road.
Best of all, the Game Pass catalog continues to grow every month. With titles such as Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 playable through the cloud, you’ll have instant access to some of the most popular games as part of your subscription.
The biggest downside is that you can only stream select games from the Game Pass Ultimate catalog. There’s also no option to just purchase Xbox Cloud Gaming—it’s only offered as part of a $17/month Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
That’s a small complaint, however, as just about everyone is bound to find bundles of value on the popular platform.
Best Cloud Gaming Service Overall
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate lets you stream a massive catalog of games to Xbox consoles, PC, and mobile.
- Title: Top-Ranking Cloud Gaming Platforms : The Ultimate List
- Author: Eric
- Created at : 2024-08-31 14:52:49
- Updated at : 2024-09-01 14:52:49
- Link: https://buynow-reviews.techidaily.com/top-ranking-cloud-gaming-platforms-the-ultimate-list/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.