Industry Trends
Nintendo on game streaming and 5G: “We must keep up with such changes in the environment”
Company executives discuss key industry trends and how its teams think about them
Up In The Cloud
Microsoft's Azure cloud tech venture set up shop in the Middle East
Big M beats both Amazon and Google to the region
E3 2019
E3 2019: Mobile gets a fair shake as the lines between platforms blur
From mobile to cross-platform streaming, all kinds of games were welcome on the big stage
Collaboration
Hatch and Samsung team to bring 5G cloud gaming to the US
Two companies continue to collaborate after bringing service to South Korea
Cloudy Skies
Ex-Playdead boss Dino Patti working on cloud-based platform Coherence
"Democratising the creation of connected games is an amazing opportunity that I relish taking on'
Communication Error
Report: PlayStation team didn't know about Sony-Microsoft cloud technology deal
And there's numerous reasons why
Streaming
MainStreaming raises $6 million to stream games in Europe and the US
Company to expand into the games market further
Big Deal
Microsoft and Sony set aside rivalry to team up on cloud gaming
PlayStation maker to use Azure data centres for cloud gaming; will also work with Microsoft on new developments
New Opportunities
SK Telecom partners with Microsoft on 5G, AI and cloud technologies
SK Telecom will adopt Microsoft 365 secure solution
Hatch A Plan
Hatch partners with Samsung to bring 5G games service to South Korea
Hatch Premium will be included with any purchase of Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G in the country
Funding
Cloud tech startup Polystream secures $12 million to develop 3D streaming services
Wargaming's investment suggests Polystream is getting into games
Power Of The Cloud
Tencent is readying to test another streaming platform Start in China
Appears to be separate to Intel Instant Play partnership
That’s Walmart Price
Report: Walmart interested in games streaming service
Firm has been speaking with developers at GDC
Gather Around
GDC 2019: Google reveals cloud streaming platform Stadia
Ubisoft, ID Software and Unity all partner with the firm.
Cloud Tech
GDC 2019: Unity partners with Tencent to help bring more developers games to China
The service will become accessible later this year.
Xbox On The Go
Microsoft’s xCloud streaming service lets you play Xbox One games on your smartphone
Public trials will begin this year
Hatching A Plan
Rovio in talks with several investors for Hatch streaming funding boost
Angry Birds developer wants extra investment for its subsidiary, while taking losses off its books may appease investors
Hatching A Partnership
Hatch partners with network operator Sprint for 5G game streaming
Sprint hopes Hatch's game streaming will prove the potential of its new 5G network
Cloud
Keywords’ latest acquisition is Dutch UA tools provider GetSocial
Social networking platform is expected to become profitable for Keywords Studios by 2020
5g By 2020
Hatch partners with DOCOMO to bring cloud gaming to mobiles and TVs in Japan
UNESCO agrees deal to publish games for Hatch Kids
Cloud
Report: Verizon is testing a new streaming service for smartphones and Nvidia Shield
Verizon Gaming will aim to run on the phone operator’s upcoming 5G capabilities
Opinion
Sorry Improbable, the Unity dispute is just business
Improbable sorry for causing “uncertainty, confusion and pain” as Unity rejects that current SpatialOS devs will have their games blocked
Rage Fuel
War of words heats up between games tech firms Unity and Improbable
As Fortnite firm Epic swoops in with $25m fund for developers to come to its engine
Hatched
Hatch set to bring games streaming service to Android TV as part of premium membership scheme
Premium scheme pencilled in for a Q1 2019 launch
Stream
5G game streaming app Hatch leaves beta in the UK, Ireland and Nordic countries
Free service will trial an ad-free premium subscription in early 2019
Pgc Videos
6 videos from Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2018's Game Changers: Cloud track
All the talks from the Game Changers: Cloud track
Perfecto
Perforce snaps up Cloud-based software developer Perfecto Mobile
The acquisition is expected to close this year
New Digs
Cloud games firm Improbable set for London HQ
Soon to be based in Spitalfields
Stream On
Google tests games streaming tech in Chrome with Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A select number of consumers can play the game in this way for free
Saved
Nintendo Switch Online cloud saves will remain 180 days after subscription ends
Fan fears that saves may vanish immediately on a subscription ending are unfounded
Canada Expansion
Improbable opens new Edmonton office helmed by BioWare veteran Aaryn Flynn
"SpatialOS is going to transform how people make and play games, and with this new office we want to help that to happen"
Switch Up
Players will need to sign up to Nintendo Switch Online for cloud saves
Service will go live September 18th and will cost $3.99 a month, $7.99 for three months or $19.99 for 12
Switch
Nintendo cites cheaters for the decision to restrict cloud saves on Switch
Switch Online cloud saves won’t be enabled on a number of titles
Open For Business
Unity and Google Cloud launch open-source matchmaking project
Open Source is games engine agnostic to allow game creators to reuse a common matchmaker framework
On Cloud Nine
All things cloud gaming at Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki
Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki touches down in Finland on September 11th to 12th
Pocketgamer Connects Helsinki
Speaker spotlight: Hatch CEO Juhani Honkala on cloud gaming and the future of the industry
"In the end it’s all about great games and creativity that matters"
Pgc Helsinki
Hatch headlines first ever Cloud Gaming track at Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2018
CEO Juhani Honkala and co-founder Vesa Jutila set to speak at event
Oh Snap
Report: Snapchat games platform to land later this year
One games publisher is said to be lined up already
Big Deal
Unity migrating entire infrastructure to Google Cloud
Tech firms also reveal open source matchmaking project set to go live in summer 2018
Xbox Mobile
Microsoft building Xbox streaming service to bring console games to any device
Looks like Xbox games could be coming to mobile
Hatching A Plan
Hatch expands games catalogue with Noodlecake Studios partnership
The deal will see premium titles Death Road to Canada, Lumino City and Chameleon Run come to the streaming platform
Streaming Ads
Synative’s HTML5 cloud tech offers a new streamable approach to playable ads
Founder Ken Liu on an interactive way to acquire users
New Games Platform?
Snapchat snaps up UK cloud-based HTML5 game engine PlayCanvas
Could it be eyeing up instant games for the platform?
Up In The Clouds
Mobile games-on-demand service Hatch partners with Qualcomm to power cloud-based gaming
Finnish firm to utilise 48-core Qualcomm Centriq 2400 server processors
Chinese publisher Netease signs partnership with UK tech firm Improbable
Knives Out developer to use cloud-based platform SpatialOS for new games
Up In The Clouds
Microsoft acquires backend services provider PlayFab
Technology to complement computing giant's own Azure platform
Up In The Cloud
Epic Games acquires cloud computing firm Cloudgine
Tech known for powering Oculus title Toy Box and the upcoming Crackdown 3
Hatch-y Birthday
Hatch celebrates first anniversary by rolling out to five new countries
Austria, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands can now start streaming games
A Slow Hatching
Hatch expands its open beta to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland
Also in limited release elsewhere in Europe
Hatched
Cloud gaming service Hatch heads into Finland beta
On-demand games let users play titles without downloading them