Game Streaming is a Reality, but Not the Way I Imagined
Nowadays, video streaming is already very popular, with big companies like Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and so on.
But a technology that has been gaining traction recently is game streaming, being able to play from the cloud, on virtual Xbox consoles, or powerful virtual computers. In this scenario, I’ve tried some options, like GeForce Now using a VPN, Xbox Game Pass, and GeForce Now from Brazil (where I live).
My experience with the cloud
GeForce Now 6/10
Using a VPN with a wired connection on my computer through a browser, I was able to play games with good quality. The delay was not too bad, but it was a nuisance. However, I frequently experienced low connection quality, probably due to the distance.
Xbox game pass 7/10
Very interesting—it has an app for smart TVs like Samsung Crystal, and you can also use it from a browser.
On the TV, you can connect Bluetooth gamepads and play directly. Using a computer, it was very playable, though I experienced moments of poor image quality. On the TV, the difference was brutal—I couldn’t play at all, very likely due to the wireless connection.
Geforce Now Brazil (ABYA) 3/10
I remember this being the worst experience—both latency and quality were bad, very different from when I was using a VPN. But maybe it has improved.
Steam Remote Play 7/10
I played TowerFall Ascension with friends—a very fun game. The experience was enjoyable, but the image quality was poor. However, there wasn’t much delay. Maybe some ports were blocked on the host, and the connection had to go through an intermediary server.
Playstation remote play 8/10
I used this a long time ago when I still had a PlayStation 4. The console was in the living room, and other people wanted to use the TV. The PS4 was connected via a LAN cable, as was my computer. The streaming quality at 720p was good, with very low input lag. At that time, I was able to keep farming my relics in Warframe even when I couldn’t use the TV.
The best experience so far 9/10
Actually, the best game streaming experience I’ve had was streaming directly from my computer.
I downloaded Moonlight on my PC. My internet provider doesn’t allow me to open ports manually, so I had to contact them to open the necessary ports from their central system. After that, the experience was excellent—even on 4G from my cellphone , the quality was great, and latency was low.
I’m currently using a laptop with an Intel i3 processor and 4GB of RAM, running Linux Mint (XFCE), to access the client. The experience is smooth even when I’m away from home. Using this laptop to connect to my PC at my girlfriend’s house feels like bringing my desktop with me.
I configured it to run at 1080p 60fps, with latency around 30-40ms, and input lag as low as 1ms. My computer is connected via cable to a router using optical fiber, achieving speeds of up to 400 Mbps.
Conclusion
The quality of game streaming services varies a lot between platforms. Network configuration and distance from the server have a huge impact—if you’re closer to the servers, the experience will obviously be better. Unlike video streaming , game streaming can’t rely on large buffering, so even small connection issues can significantly affect image quality.
Because of this, I believe the best experiences tend to come from local or nearby sources, such as streaming from a friend’s house.
I recommend testing each service for yourself to see how it works for you—your experience might be completely different from mine. Trying out these services is fun, at least for me!