Game Services & Game Sales thread

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Madmick said:
It's in the same place Stadia is, currently. That's why it originally debuted with the NVIDIA Shield, and is still best optimized for that platform. Like Stadia, it's intended to enable those with lesser hardware ($199 in the case of the Shield) play even the most demanding games that are on the PC platform that would take a far more expensive rig to play adequately. That's why there is the one experimental YouTube video where they build a shoestring $300 PC just so they can access the service.

Since it runs on Android it will also enable you to play on the go with a phone or a tablet. Ideally you would have the MicroUSB-to-HDMI cable to plug it into a TV, but I suppose it could also work the the game pads (the dual-joystick controllers with a "dock" that clamps the phone into place). I'm unclear if the service is compatible with console controllers in the same way PC gaming directly is. Haven't dug that deep.

Mac or Macbook users might find it especially appealing, eventually.

Sounds like Stadia is still currently the leader in terms of microlatency, though, ahead of this service and Microsoft's xCloud.
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I understand the purpose and I hope they do well. It's just not a need that I have. The only time I have a suitable internet connection for it is when I'm at home where I have a PC.
 
Once again Google rolls out an update that resolves an issue that the small Stadia community of users isn't requesting, but I suppose it's something. Only Samsung, Razer, and Asus phones are receiving support. The latter two are the gaming smartphone niche companies.
Google Stadia adds support for Galaxy S20, ASUS ROG Phone II, and 18 more phones (Update: Live)

Here's the full list:
  • Galaxy S8
  • Galaxy S8+
  • Galaxy S8 Active
  • Galaxy Note8
  • Galaxy S9
  • Galaxy S9+
  • Galaxy Note9
  • Galaxy S10
  • Galaxy S10e
  • Galaxy S10+
  • Galaxy Note10
  • Galaxy Note10+
  • Galaxy S20
  • Galaxy S20+
  • Galaxy S20 Ultra
  • Razer Phone
  • Razer Phone 2
  • ASUS ROG Phone
  • ASUS ROG Phone II
 
Sony ponies, Double Discounts returned today for Plus players and will be available until 19 March. 70% off non-scrub titles with single-digit deals in the mix, as usual. Titles I saw while skimming were Blasphemous, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Watch Dogs 2, Sniper Elite 2R and 4, Dead Cells, F1 2019, Far Cry bundles, MK 11... If you'd on principle originally abstained from purchasing Battlefield V, that's there too for some 12€, iirc. Take a gander.
 
So PC Gamer did a feature on the "controversy" surrounding NVIDIA's GeForce Now. I was right to be confused because it doesn't make any sense why Blizzard and Bethesda are being such cunts. Key paragraph highlighted in red below:
The controversy over GeForce Now, explained
PC Gamer said:
Nvidia definitely did have agreements in place with publishers like Activision, but the publisher's stance changed when GeForce Now left its free beta. Publishers seemingly saw things differently when the paid subscription tier was added...

When Bethesda's games were removed, Nvidia didn't offer a specific reason, but posted this on its blog: "As we approach a paid service, some publishers may choose to remove games before the trial period ends. Ultimately, they maintain control over their content and decide whether the game you purchase includes streaming on GeForce Now. Meanwhile, others will bring games back as they continue to realize GeForce Now's value."

An indie publisher I spoke with who had games on GFN characterized their contract with Nvidia as being simple and good for the publisher, saying it laid out in clear terms that Nvidia would only launch games from the developer's chosen platform (eg, Steam, Epic, etc) and was entitled to no profits from any game sales (GeForce Now doesn't sell games, but this means Nvidia gets no affiliate sales cut, either). The contract also allowed for the relationship to be easily terminated.

Based on the statements of other indie developers, it sounds like Nvidia's long-term plan is to support streaming of virtually all games on Steam, without specific agreements in place with those developers. Nvidia seems willing to let developers opt out, but isn't presenting that option up front.
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The article goes on to point out that since NVIDIA isn't take any profits whatsoever it's likely there isn't any legal basis for them to need permission at all from developers since, after all, the service is merely renting you a server to stream games that you-- the consumer-- have purchased from those developers. It's not a marketplace. Developers can whine about it, but they have no right to dictate to NVIDIA what software a user runs on servers the user has rented from NVIDIA. Otherwise, why wouldn't hardware vendors like Lenovo or Asus require developers' permission for you to install games on PCs & laptops they sell, for example?

Frankly, I'm just gobsmacked that Activision Blizzard and Bethesda are so petty they pulled their games for no other reason that NVIDIA decided to monetize the service. Even after digging deeper it's as dumfounding as when I first saw that headline. Nevertheless, you can still use the service for free. You are just limited to 1-hr sessions, now, not 4-hrs, before you have to apply for a fresh token for another session. You also don't get ray-tracing in games that support it. But just know that you can try it out for free, to see if you value it, and there is also a free trial for the "Founders" paid version that offers ray-tracing.


A quick timeline of GeForce Now so far (via PC Gamer)
  • 2014: Nvidia starts GRID streaming service to stream games to its Shield handheld and tablet. Games library is limited to a select few licensed for the service. This would eventually morph into GeForce Now.
  • 2016: GeForce Now for the Shield costs $8 per month with a limited selection of free games. Newer games can also be bought through the service, and come with a code for the corresponding store (like Steam). Nvidia opens GFN up to developers to join the library.
  • January 2017: Nvidia announces GeForce Now for Mac and PC, planning to charge per minute of gameplay. "Renting" a more powerful server with a GTX 1080 would cost more than renting one with a GTX 1060.
  • October 2017: GeForce Now launches a free beta, but only for Mac. It supports about 100 games, but you have to own the games on a platform like Steam to play them. The earlier planned pricing scheme never returns.
  • January 2018: Nvidia launches PC beta of GeForce Now.
  • December 2019: Capcom games are removed from GeForce Now
  • February 2020: GeForce Now launches out of beta into full release, with a free tier and a "founders" tier that offers longer play sessions and ray tracing.
  • February 14: Nvidia says that it removed Activision Blizzard games over a "misunderstanding" around the free trial for founders
  • February 21: Bethesda games except Wolfenstein Youngblood are removed from GFN, and Nvidia says 1,500 more games are on the way, while "game removals should be few and far between."
  • March 1: The Long Dark is removed from GFN after developer says Nvidia didn't ask for permission.
 
Madmick said:
So PC Gamer did a feature on the "controversy" surrounding NVIDIA's GeForce Now. I was right to be confused because it doesn't make any sense why Blizzard and Bethesda are being such cunts. Key paragraph highlighted in red below:
The controversy over GeForce Now, explained

The article goes on to point out that since NVIDIA isn't take any profits whatsoever it's likely there isn't any legal basis for them to need permission at all from developers since, after all, the service is merely renting you a server to stream games that you-- the consumer-- have purchased from those developers. It's not a marketplace. Developers can whine about it, but they have no right to dictate to NVIDIA what software a user runs on servers the user has rented from NVIDIA. Otherwise, why wouldn't hardware vendors like Lenovo or Asus require developers' permission for you to install games on PCs & laptops they sell, for example?

Frankly, I'm just gobsmacked that Activision Blizzard and Bethesda are so petty they pulled their games for no other reason that NVIDIA decided to monetize the service. Even after digging deeper it's as dumfounding as when I first saw that headline. Nevertheless, you can still use the service for free. You are just limited to 1-hr sessions, now, not 4-hrs, before you have to apply for a fresh token for another session. You also don't get ray-tracing in games that support it. But just know that you can try it out for free, to see if you value it, and there is also a free trial for the "Founders" paid version that offers ray-tracing.


A quick timeline of GeForce Now so far (via PC Gamer)
  • 2014: Nvidia starts GRID streaming service to stream games to its Shield handheld and tablet. Games library is limited to a select few licensed for the service. This would eventually morph into GeForce Now.
  • 2016: GeForce Now for the Shield costs $8 per month with a limited selection of free games. Newer games can also be bought through the service, and come with a code for the corresponding store (like Steam). Nvidia opens GFN up to developers to join the library.
  • January 2017: Nvidia announces GeForce Now for Mac and PC, planning to charge per minute of gameplay. "Renting" a more powerful server with a GTX 1080 would cost more than renting one with a GTX 1060.
  • October 2017: GeForce Now launches a free beta, but only for Mac. It supports about 100 games, but you have to own the games on a platform like Steam to play them. The earlier planned pricing scheme never returns.
  • January 2018: Nvidia launches PC beta of GeForce Now.
  • December 2019: Capcom games are removed from GeForce Now
  • February 2020: GeForce Now launches out of beta into full release, with a free tier and a "founders" tier that offers longer play sessions and ray tracing.
  • February 14: Nvidia says that it removed Activision Blizzard games over a "misunderstanding" around the free trial for founders
  • February 21: Bethesda games except Wolfenstein Youngblood are removed from GFN, and Nvidia says 1,500 more games are on the way, while "game removals should be few and far between."
  • March 1: The Long Dark is removed from GFN after developer says Nvidia didn't ask for permission.
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I don't understand the guy from the Long Dark either. He shot himself in the foot for future sales as well.
I understand why Activision/Blizzard is doing it, they're going to release their own similar service, even though I don't agree with it.

As for my experience with Geforce Now, it wasn't great. I have 150/50 fiber but I still has over 40ms response time no matter what server I chose. I'm assuming their routing in my area isn't that great and they pass me through a shitty ISP.
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Epic is once again embracing the role of the good guy. First it was free games, then it was a better cut for developers, and now it's unhesitating support for third-party game services:
Epic is "wholeheartedly supporting" GeForce Now
Even Epic exclusives will be accessible on the streaming service, at the individual publisher's discretion.

I'm sure Tim Sweeney is handsomely compensated, but he's out there again fist-pumping for their store:
 
Chromecast owners can get three months of Stadia Pro for free
Techspot said:
As developers continue to pull out of Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud-gaming service, Google moves to expand its Stadia player base even more. The search giant has been emailing three-month trial codes to Chromecast Ultra users willing to sign up to receive email promotions.

To be clear, the offer is not just for new purchasers. It is open to current Chromecast Ultra owners as well. Google is sending the email invites out to known Ultra users, so no action needs to be taken to receive the promotion.
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Well, generating all that press by pulling libraries appears to have backfired:
Nvidia GeForce Now is a huge success – despite losing big games
Nvidia’s GeForce Now has sold out of Founders memberships – in other words, slots for paying subscribers – in Europe, with the situation in the US apparently being the same.

In a forum post, Nvidia announced: “As you can imagine, we’re experiencing a substantial increase in the number of GeForce Now players and their amount of playtime.

Nvidia’s US site, it appears that memberships have also now run out in that region...

Nvidia says it’s working to open up additional subscription slots by adding more servers to the GeForce Now data centers, and you can sign up to be notified of when further capacity is available.

Freebie only
You can, of course, still sign up for the free GeForce Now tier, although you don’t get priority access (meaning you’ll be queuing a while) and play-time is limited to one hour (you can’t benefit from RTX graphics either).

One point to remember is that Nvidia’s initial offer for those signing up (with their payment details) for a Founders membership is the ability to cancel in the first three months, without penalty.

So one theory is there may be quite a few people who treated this as a better way to get a free trial, as it were, than the actual free tier – and thus when the initial three months is up, a fair bit of capacity might possibly be freed as those gamers leave (if they aren’t happy with the aforementioned high-profile publisher departures).
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The service will support Cyberpunk 2077 on launch day which will be one of the most demanding games ever released at launch, and which also supports robust ray-tracing. One has to believe that anyone with a lower-end NVIDIA GPU in their desktop, laptop, or NVIDIA Shield will find this particularly attractive. Things are looking bright for the service.
 
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I got the XBox game pass for PC, $1 first month and $5 every month after. I wanted to try it out, and it's not a bad deal at all. Playing Forza Horizon right now, got the Halo MC collection and some others queued up.
 
Big sale on one of the most popular and acclaimed games of the past several years. $5 today:
 
Amazon's Project Tempo could crush Google Stadia — here's why
Amazon's answer to Google Stadia is coming
Tom's Hardware said:
Amazon is set to make a big push into first-party video games, with two major titles from its own internal studios primed to launch next month. But that could just be the beginning, as the company's Project Tempo — a cloud-gaming platform in the vein of Google Stadia — may arrive by 2021.

In an interview with The New York Times (via TechRadar), Amazon vice president for game services and studios Mike Frazzini dished on online shooter Crucible and massively multiplayer game New World, both of which are set to arrive in May 2020. But what's potentially more interesting is the article's brief mention of Project Tempo, which the Times says was supposed to launch in beta this year but now may be delayed to 2021 due to coronavirus issues.

There aren't many details on how Project Tempo could work, but if any company has the cloud infrastructure and streaming experience to take on Google's gaming platform, it's Amazon.

Google Stadia launched in late 2019 to a very lukewarm reception. In our Google Stadia review, we praised the platform's overall streaming performance and wide compatibility with various peripherals, but found that its game lineup and feature set were incredibly thin at launch.

There's also the questionable pricing model. If you want to access Google Stadia right now, you have to purchase a $129 Premium Edition kit that includes a Google Chromecast Ultra and a controller, as well as pay for Google's $10 monthly Stadia Pro subscription to keep your access after your first three months.

Stadia Pro includes a handful of games, such as Destiny 2 and Grid, but isn't an all-encompassing solution like Netflix. You'll still have to buy titles such as Doom Eternal and Red Dead Redemption 2 for a full retail price of $59.99. With Google yet to release Stadia's free tier, the service isn't exactly a compelling value for many gamers, even if it can run on most smartphones, PCs and tablets.

With Project Tempo, Amazon has a chance to succeed where Google has yet to. The company already offers a monthly gaming subscription called Twitch Prime, which comes as part of your Amazon Prime account for $119 per year or $12.99 per month. Twitch Prime provides access to free games, complementary in-game content and free monthly channel subscriptions you can use to support your favorite streamers.

If Amazon were to fold Project Tempo into this service and give Twitch Prime members an instant collection of high-quality games to stream from the cloud, it could offer one heck of a value — and drive even more Amazon Prime subscriptions. Amazon Prime already gets you a library of on-demand streaming shows and movies via Prime Video, so a collection of streamable games could be a logical next step.

We likely won't see Amazon's vision for cloud gaming until 2021, and Google has plenty of time to improve on Stadia with new games and features. But in the nascent game streaming arena — which is also seeing growing investment from the likes of Sony, Microsoft and Nvidia — Amazon has a chance to take the crown.
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Another giant prepares to throw their hat in the ring. This article nails it. The primary sticking point right now is cost. It's a new technology with inferior performance and an inferior library. You can't be expensive, and hope to disrupt the virtual monopolies wielded in the industry.
 
Play Stadia Pro for free, starting today
Phil Harrison VP & GM of Stadia via the Google Blog said:
We’re facing some of the most challenging times in recent memory. Keeping social distance is vital, but staying home for long periods can be difficult and feel isolating. Video games can be a valuable way to socialize with friends and family when you’re stuck at home, so we’re giving gamers in 14 countries free access to Stadia Pro for two months. This is starting today and rolling out over the next 48 hours.

Anyone who signs up will get two free months of Stadia Pro with instant access to nine games, including GRID, Destiny 2: The Collection, and Thumper. You can purchase even more games on the store, which will remain yours to play even if you cancel your Stadia Pro subscription. If you’re already a paid Stadia Pro subscriber, we won’t charge you for the next two months. After that, Stadia Pro is $9.99 a month, but you can opt out of your subscription at any time.

If you’re new, playing on Stadia is simple:
With increased demand due to more people at home during this time, we’re taking a responsible approach to internet traffic. For Stadia, we’ve always adjusted bandwidth use based on a variety of in-home and local internet factors. To reduce load on the internet further, we’re working toward a temporary feature that changes the default screen resolution from 4k to 1080p. The vast majority of people on a desktop or laptop won’t notice a significant drop in gameplay quality, but you can choose your data usage options in the Stadia app.

Like so many people around the world going through this crisis, our support team has been significantly impacted, and our customer support functions are not running at full capacity. Please use our automated Help Center and, as you give Stadia a try, check out these helpful tips for setting up your home environment. Many of you will be new to Stadia, so we’ve also posted a Getting Started Walkthrough.

Have fun, stay safe, and we look forward to playing with you on Stadia.
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He mentions that any ChromeOS device is supported. Pretty much any device is compatible that can run Google's Chrome browser.

Stadia Supported Browser-Dependent Devices at Launch
  • Desktops and Laptops
    • Mac - Requires macOS X 10.9 and higher
    • PC - Requires Windows 7 and higher
    • ChromeOS - any Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet can run it
  • Android Tablets -- Requires Google Chrome browser

The above is less stable, and so are the workarounds on iOS devices. Better is native support. Google has added support for a lot of smartphones since launch. Here is a list of Android devices with native Stadia support not requiring the browser:
https://support.google.com/stadia/answer/9578631?hl=en
Stadia-compatible gamepads and screens
  • Google Chromecast Ultra*
  • Google Pixel 2, 2XL, 3, 3XL, 3a, 3a XL, 4, 4XL
  • Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, S8 Active, Note 8
  • Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+, Note 9
  • Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, Note 10, Note 10+
  • Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra
  • Asus ROG Phone, ROG Phone II
  • Razer Phone, Razer Phone II
*requires Stadia Controller ($69) to play via Chromecast Ultra on TV

Controller support as listed at that link:
full
 
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I also took the time to update the OP (posts #1-#3) if you haven't browsed its contents in a while. I'd welcome any improvements like resources or links for games sales you track. Please share your bargain hunting kung fu.
 
Nvidia’s GeForce Now will lose access to titles from Xbox Game Studios and Warner Bros.
Microsoft has xCloud, but Warner Bros (owned by Warner Media owned by AT&T) not only doesn't have a cloud gaming service ready on the market, but it doesn't have any in development. This has been true for most developers pulling their games from the NVIDIA GeForce Now service, so I'm tired of hearing the ignorant, illogical conjecture rationalizing these revocations based on the presumption of intended competition in the cloud streaming space. That didn't make sense in the first place. None of these developers has a subscription service to sell actively on the market, and they didn't mind allowing their games on GeForce Now in beta before it had any paid plan. Nobody has been able to adequately explain to me this behavior, yet. There's always a business angle, whether it's about competitions, strategies of market venue, or corporate relationships, but neither the press nor gamers have figured it out.

The Bad Guys
  • Microsoft
  • Blizzard
  • 2K
  • Bethesda
  • Warner Bros
  • Codemaster
  • Kie Entertainment
  • Hinterland Studio

For some reason developers are terrified of a service like GeForce Now succeeding.

Oddly, for once, Ubisoft is joining Epic Games and CD Projekt Red in openly embracing the Light Side of the Force with public declarations of support (along with many other silent do-gooders). Not only have they previously allowed their own Uplay+ service on the Google Stadia platform, but they're adding more titles to GeForce Now while these other jokers are pulling out. These are the good guys.
 
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Madmick said:
Nvidia’s GeForce Now will lose access to titles from Xbox Game Studios and Warner Bros.
Microsoft has xCloud, but Warner Bros (owned by Warner Media owned by AT&T) not only doesn't have a cloud gaming service ready on the market, but it doesn't have any in development. This has been true for most developers pulling their games from the NVIDIA GeForce Now service, so I'm tired of hearing the ignorant, illogical conjecture rationalizing these revocations based on the presumption of intended competition in the cloud streaming space. That didn't make sense in the first place. None of these developers has a subscription service to sell actively on the market, and they didn't mind allowing their games on GeForce Now in beta before it had any paid plan. Nobody has been able to adequately explain to me this behavior, yet. There's always a business angle, whether it's about competitions, strategies of market venue, or corporate relationships, but neither the press nor gamers have figured it out.

The Bad Guys
  • Microsoft
  • Blizzard
  • 2K
  • Bethesda
  • Warner Bros
  • Codemaster
  • Kie Entertainment
  • Hinterland Studio

For some reason developers are terrified of a service like GeForce Now succeeding.

Oddly, for once, Ubisoft is joining Epic Games and CD Projekt Red in openly embracing the Light Side of the Force with public declarations of support (along with many other silent do-gooders). Not only have they previously allowed their own Uplay+ service on the Google Stadia platform, but they're adding more titles to GeForce Now while these other jokers are pulling out. These are the good guys.
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The only reason I can think of why these companies are against it is that they're planning on releasing their own type of service. I'm surprised Microsoft is doing this, they've really been branching out lately to different platforms.
 
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