A cloud infrastructure might not be enough to make it in a competitive industry.
Update 4/11: A Microsoft spokesperson offered IGN the following comment on the subject of cloud gaming:
“It’s a great time to be a gamer. At Xbox, we’re putting players at the center of our vision for the future of gaming by delivering blockbuster content from Xbox Game Studios and our partners, growing the thriving Xbox community and giving them choice and opportunity in how they play across devices and through Project xCloud.” – Microsoft spokesperson
The original article follows:
An exec at Microsoft recently commented on Google Stadia and other emerging cloud gaming competitors, saying “they don’t have the content” to compete with major players in the industry.
Per The Telegraph (via WCCFTech), Microsoft’s Xbox division chief marketing officer Mike Nichols argued that while Google Stadia and others have an infrastructure in place, they lack the content necessary to flourish in the industry.
“Emerging competitors like Google have a cloud infrastructure, a community with YouTube, but they don’t have the content,” said Nichols. “You won’t necessarily need a device over time, but you’ll get the best experience with local processing power.”
IGN has reached out to Microsoft for any additional comment on Stadia and the state of cloud gaming. Previously, Xbox head Phil Spencer reportedly said of Stadia “There were no big surprises in their announcement.”
While Nichols’ comment seems to be referring to first- and third-party content coming to Stadia, Google’s Phil Harrison (former corporate VP of Microsoft) told IGN that first-party content is foundational to Stadia. He also commented on Stadia’s required internet speeds, refuted rumors that Google ever planned a physical game console, and discussed whether Stadia is meant to compete with PlayStation and Xbox.
Though there are still plenty of questions surrounding Stadia, Google did announce a first-party studio headed by Jade Raymond and revealed its general specs last month.
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Colin Stevens is a news writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
