Unravelling Google’s New Gaming Service, YouTube Playables

In the wake of Stadia’s untimely demise, Google, as reports suggest, has been caught concocting a fresh brew in its gaming cauldron, under the moniker ‘Playables’. This fresh venture into the gaming domain follows a mere few months after Stadia, Google’s high-profile attempt to mainstream cloud gaming, came tumbling down.

Stadia’s Downfall and Google’s New Venture

A swift three-year stint saw the rise and collapse of Google Stadia, with Google pulling the plug quickly, citing a deficit in user numbers as the rationale. Phil Harrison, the ex-chief of the now-extinct project, had a glimmer of hope in his announcement in September 2022. He hinted at the possibility of the streaming tech developed for Stadia being incorporated into other Google products and services in the future.

Whether Playables is the prodigal son of Stadia’s streaming technology isn’t certain yet, though the two share similarities in their promises of accessible cloud gaming. Recent inside news from The Wall Street Journal reveals that Google has been secretly taste-testing Playables amongst its employees. Allegedly, Playables grants its users the ability to instantly hop into a plethora of games and share them, across a range of devices, including desktops, smartphones, and tablets, all through the familiar YouTube app. The ongoing testing phase apparently supports both Android and iOS devices.

Exploring Playables’ Offerings: A Sneak Peek into the Game Library

As for the variety of games Playables offers, the details remain hazy. The recent report does mention a game by the name of Stack Bounce, a simple brick busting ball game, as one of the titles available. This game, eerily similar to an Android exclusive of the same name currently on Google Play, could imply that Playables may provide Android developers a gateway to make their games available on iOS and desktop platforms, without the need for additional porting.

Stadia was known for its exclusive games, but it’s still a mystery whether Playables intends to follow suit. The leaked internal email, which brought Playables into the limelight, gave no insights into YouTube’s game plan for the platform. When prodded for a comment, a company spokesperson tactfully described gaming as a long-term focus for YouTube, warranting ongoing experimentation, but conveniently sidestepped any specifics about Playables.

With all these uncertainties, it’s tough to predict if YouTube Playables will emerge from the shadows. Despite this, the very existence of Playables underlines that the demise of Stadia wasn’t the death knell for Google’s ambitions in the realm of online gaming. As earlier reports in March had suggested, Google is already in talks with publishers about upcoming cloud gaming projects.

Source – The Wall Street Journal