Now, console owners can naked link stream their games to client devices connected to any network, even cellular, so long as the game is installed on the home console. At the same time, game developer David Perry (Earthworm Jim, MDK) introduced Gaikai, but it had two completely different models. One service provided streaming demos to websites for gamers to try and later buy from local retailers — an attempt to combat digital sales at the time. The second model streamed full games purchased through publishers to websites, smart TVs — even to the WikiPad. In the case of GeForce Now, the games you purchase come from other stores like Steam or Battle.net, meaning you can use them locally if you eventually purchase the necessary hardware. The catch is that you wait in a long line to stream these games, and then you can only play for a short duration.
For many, the reason for this rising interest in cloud gaming is all about budget. A recent survey revealed the impact rising GPU prices are having on the PC gaming community. It’s even leading a significant number of gamers to take a closer look at cloud gaming as a potential solution.
Top Free Cloud Gaming Platforms Of 2025
Execution is when you launch a game, which runs on a remote computer. After a game launches, the remote computer records the gameplay as you input commands, which are received by the server. On Xbox, the price for a 1-year subscription to AntStream Arcade is $30, while a lifetime subscription is $80. However, on Epic Games, the Windows and Mac version is $51 for a 1-year subscription.
Amazon Luna: Family-friendly Channel Gaming
The game is rendered and played on the remote server, but you see and interact with everything locally on your device. Tom’s Guide tests cloud gaming services by playing through a variety of different games, on a variety of different platforms. We try to test each device that’s compatible with a service, from game consoles to Web browsers to smart TVs. Once that’s done, we’ll try to sit down and play a single game for hours at a time in order to see whether the connection is stable, and how many hiccups we encounter along the way. While many cloud gaming services work through specific apps or existing platforms, Boosteroid offers the same but through your internet browser.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers a large library of games that you can download or stream. It includes EA Play games and Xbox Game Studios titles on release day. Sony recently expanded its cloud offerings to include the PlayStation Portal. This handheld device now supports cloud streaming for over 120 PS5 titles, making it more useful for gamers on the go. You can play your PC games on phones, tablets, or older computers.