Where do I begin.
I'm a fan of cloud gaming, I have a great connection and a very average pc with a great display so it makes sence to offload compute to the cloud.
Here is my concern for stadia. I have found myself constantly moving onto Nvidia due to their lower price and compatiblity with steam as well as their ray tracing.
I have to say, the visuals on Nvidia are simply better. Don't get me wrong, I really like stadia, it's just buying games on the platform makes no sense if I can't "own" these games and use them on other platforms.
I hope stadia becomes more competitive with Nvidia, I'm just posting this to understand if this is an issue other members are finding. (Justifying the use of stadia over geforce now).
Finally the library is limited, and pro does not offer the most popular games for free, yet the subscription is more expensive than other cloud gaming services... ![]()
One of the more interesting things about cloud gaming is that it's very much a "your mileage may vary" type of platform right now. So keep this in mind when I respond to your concerns/comments here:
"I have to say, the visuals on Nvidia are simply better."
This might be true for you. I've tried GeForce NOW in its earlier iterations (back when it was primarily on NVIDIA Shield) and more recently (when it became more widely released for PC). My experience with GeForce NOW is that its compression rate is awful, leading to 8-bit to 16-bit choppiness (on my 1Gbps connection). The hardware is more available, but there are other criticisms against GeForce NOW that I have -- but aren't pertinent to this discussion.
"Don't get me wrong, I really like stadia, it's just buying games on the platform makes no sense if I can't "own" these games and use them on other platforms."
As mentioned: legally, you do not own your games on any digital distribution platform (Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Network, or Microsoft Store). GOG offers you a DRM-Free executable, so as long as you have that executable - that game is yours to transfer between devices and "platforms" (if supported). Digital storefronts have the right to revoke your license to any game you purchase at their own behest (e.g., the platform closes or decides that a publisher is to be banned from their storefront) or at the behest of the publisher/developer.
I understand your point here; it is nice to be able to ensure that you can play the same game between a PC and your desired browser (on another device/platform). However, don't assume that there's any difference in ownership between Stadia and Steam on a practical level.
"Finally the library is limited, and pro does not offer the most popular games for free, yet the subscription is more expensive than other cloud gaming services..."
The library of a platform that has only had one full year of distribution won't compare to that of platforms that use another platform/storefront's library. You're not purchasing games through GeForce NOW, as they do not have their own storefront for games - you're "linking" your account from another storefront to use on their virtual machines. As for the price, GeForce NOW's Founder price is an introductory price that will change.
you dont own your games on steam either, so i dont see your point
If you buy a game on Nvidia, do you think it will work in Stadia? No, doesn't make sense.
One of the more interesting things about cloud gaming is that it's very much a "your mileage may vary" type of platform right now. So keep this in mind when I respond to your concerns/comments here:
"I have to say, the visuals on Nvidia are simply better."
This might be true for you. I've tried GeForce NOW in its earlier iterations (back when it was primarily on NVIDIA Shield) and more recently (when it became more widely released for PC). My experience with GeForce NOW is that its compression rate is awful, leading to 8-bit to 16-bit choppiness (on my 1Gbps connection). The hardware is more available, but there are other criticisms against GeForce NOW that I have -- but aren't pertinent to this discussion.
"Don't get me wrong, I really like stadia, it's just buying games on the platform makes no sense if I can't "own" these games and use them on other platforms."
As mentioned: legally, you do not own your games on any digital distribution platform (Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Network, or Microsoft Store). GOG offers you a DRM-Free executable, so as long as you have that executable - that game is yours to transfer between devices and "platforms" (if supported). Digital storefronts have the right to revoke your license to any game you purchase at their own behest (e.g., the platform closes or decides that a publisher is to be banned from their storefront) or at the behest of the publisher/developer.
I understand your point here; it is nice to be able to ensure that you can play the same game between a PC and your desired browser (on another device/platform). However, don't assume that there's any difference in ownership between Stadia and Steam on a practical level.
"Finally the library is limited, and pro does not offer the most popular games for free, yet the subscription is more expensive than other cloud gaming services..."
The library of a platform that has only had one full year of distribution won't compare to that of platforms that use another platform/storefront's library. You're not purchasing games through GeForce NOW, as they do not have their own storefront for games - you're "linking" your account from another storefront to use on their virtual machines. As for the price, GeForce NOW's Founder price is an introductory price that will change.