Cloud gaming is becoming even more accessible. Some of the best TVs now offer a wide swath of cloud gaming services, giving you unbridled access to your favorite games.
Recently, Xbox Game Pass landed on LG TVs. The brand is finally joining Samsung, who for a while corralled the largest selection of cloud gaming services in its TVs.
But even as Game Pass finds a new home one some of the best LG TVs, will it move the needle for cloud gaming's popularity? Although it's a huge win for gamers, I'm not convinced it can replace my gaming hardware.
The pitfalls of home networks
One of the biggest concerns even for some of the best cloud gaming services is Wi-Fi strength. Every household across the globe relies on a fundamentally different system for their home network, and it's not always foolproof or streamlined in a way that works well on any particular system, let alone a smart TV.
Xbox Game Pass requires, at the bare minimum, a 10Mbps download speed for cloud gaming, but notes that 15Mbps is recommended for the most optimal experience.
Nvidia's GeForce Now gives an even broader rundown of its internet requirements on its FAQs page, detailing levels dependent on resolution and framerate, with 45Mbps being best for 4K at 120fps.
That might not sound like much, but the average download speed in the US sits at just over 200Mbps. Your network download speeds also relies upon the amount of devices scattered across your home network, so with more devices comes more challenges for game streaming.
Game Pass and GeForce Now also require the 5Ghz band to function properly. So, if your TV is relegated to the 2.4Ghz band, or if your router only supports 2.4Ghz, then there's just no way you'll be cloud gaming — even if your TV is hardwired into the network.
And that brings me to my last point: It's highly recommended to hardwire your TV to get the best possible experience for game streaming. Not every end-user can do this, whether it be due to a limited amount of Ethernet ports, or the distance between the router and display.
Thus, the challenges far outweighs the potential for having cloud gaming on your display. It's one of the main reasons why consoles will remain superior for the near future.
Consoles remain king
Beyond the slow advancements of home networking capabilities, it's also worth considering the fact that not every company is onboard with cloud gaming. Microsoft remains the largest and most accessible game streaming provider next to Nvidia, but where are Nintendo and PlayStation?
PlayStation discontinued its PS Now service, rolling it into its monthly Premium subscription tier nearly three years ago. Nintendo, on the other hand, runs a similar concept with its Nintendo Switch Online service, bundling multiplayer online services with a catalog of classic games spanning from the NES to the Game Cube.
These "cloud services" are thus far still relegated to their independent systems, including the PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch, respectively. On those particular systems, these streaming platforms still are rather lacking in terms of content and don't always run as optimally as you'd like — even when the system's hardwired into the router.
It lends even more credence to the fact that raw hardware in a user's household will always outweigh the potential on offer with hardware miles away nestled in a data center. You simply can't beat the physical device, no matter how good your internet speeds or networking in general.
A future ripe for the taking
My love for cloud gaming, despite its current downsides, remains unchallenged. The roadblocks are still ever-present, but the destination remains in perfect view.
Nearly two years ago, I wrote about how your TV could one day replace your game console, and I'm still of the mind it inevitably will — just not for a long, long while.
Until we can advance our Wi-Fi capabilities to the point where the TV doesn't need to be hardwired into the router and more gaming companies broaden their scope of cloud gaming, it won't take off. Cloud gaming still needs more time to mature, especially on the cusp of next-gen consoles (like the PS6), which could be exorbitant in price.
You might be able to save a few bucks by getting a great TV along with a monthly Xbox Game Pass subscription, but it won't equate to the fidelity on offer with a proper console.
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