Google to announce own gaming hardware at GDC next month

[Deleted member 34385]

Source: Google plans to announce long-rumored 'Yeti' hardware at GDC event

On Tuesday, Google announced a mysterious keynote at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco on March 19th. The event comes as the Project Stream beta of a AAA console title ended in January, and amid the year-long rumors of Project Yeti. We can now confirm that Google plans to announce gaming hardware next month.

According to a source familiar with the matter, next month's event — which Google calls a "keynote" — will feature both the game streaming service powered by the Project Stream technology, and hardware to go along with it.

 

[darkwing]

gamechanger, beat MS to the punch

 

[Fat4all]

will i be able to have intercourse with my google box

 

[Iyagovos]

Right, but does this mean specifically a console, or does it mean a Chromecast specially adapted to streaming games?

 

[Deleted member 20964]

So they can abandon it 1-2 years later? Nice.

 

[TheStebe]

Will this also have a hidden microphone inside?

 

[digitalrelic]

There it is. I wonder if it'll be Chromecast esque, something more along the lines of a streaming box like Apple TV, or a fully-fledged console.

 

[mnemonicj]

Bring unique and cool games to win, Google.

 

[DarkFlame92]

Traditional or streaming console?

 

[Timewarp]

Will this also have a hidden microphone inside?

Click to shrink...

Of course silly.

 

[Mhj]

Day One.

Spoiler

I always get all consoles, regardless of assumed outcome

 

[Zool]

I don't think it will be a console but their streaming services via Chrome.

 

[Deleted member 34385]

Traditional or streaming console?

Click to shrink...

from what i've found, its going to be a streaming box that connects to their platform, so its a console + controllers etc.

 

[Deleted member 8791]

Last 24 hours have been pretty bonkers. Interested to see what this is.

 

[Swift_Gamer]

Android game console?

 

[gofreak]

Right, but does this mean specifically a console, or does it mean a Chromecast specially adapted to streaming games?

Click to shrink...

I'm assuming it's a streaming box with a controller, and that's about it on the hardware side. Maybe some local processing relating to latency.

If it's actually a full-fledged local box, colour me surprised. I think there's a big market for that still, obviously, but I assume Google fancies its chances as a game platform holder in a streaming world rather than in a console box world.

 

[Iucidium]

gamechanger, beat MS to the punch

Click to shrink...

Then release gamepass on it

 

[Tiddy]

It has to be real cheap and stream 3rd party games without problems or they need some big exclusive titles otherwise it will be dead like most google products.

 

[Pancakes R Us]

will i be able to have intercourse with my google box

Click to shrink...

What...?

 

[Deleted member 49574]

Doubt i would get a google streaming box unless its really good. I'm eagerly waiting for xCloud

Just fyi. xcloud will also be at GDC

 

[Acorn]

Right, but does this mean specifically a console, or does it mean a Chromecast specially adapted to streaming games?

Click to shrink...

I'd wager the latter.

 

[Deleted member 34385]

It has to be real cheap and stream 3rd party games without problems or they need some big exclusive titles otherwise it will be dead like most google products.

Click to shrink...

i am expecting it to be around 99$ or max 199 and no more.

 

[Fat4all]

What...?

Click to shrink...

will i be able to sex it up nasty

this is vital info i need

 

[neonglow]

Sounds like a beefed up Chromecast that comes with a gaming controller.

 

[Iyagovos]

I'm assuming it's a streaming box with a controller, and that's about it on the hardware side. Maybe some local processing relating to latency.

If it's actually a full-fledged local box, colour me surprised. I think there's a big market for that still, obviously, but I assume Google fancies its chances as a game platform holder in a streaming world rather than in a console box world.

Click to shrink...

Agreed. A streaming box with a controller is what I expect it to be, especially after Project Stream.

 

[DarkFlame92]

from what i've found, its going to be a streaming box that connects to their platform, so its a console + controllers etc.

Click to shrink...

So it's not gonna run games locally, thats what i was saying

 

[Infinity Times Two]

Will this also have a hidden microphone inside?

Click to shrink...

Hidden? It will probably be Google Assistant enabled.

 

[Astandahl]

This will probably fail.

 

[ShinUltramanJ]

The real reason Microsoft is scrambling to get Game Pass going on other platforms.

 

[Axe]

Curious to see it, but not interested in getting it given Google's track record of supporting their projects.

And even the ones they do support seem to get neglected after awhile (my Chromecast weeps).

 

[kiguel182]

So, how will they use games to sell you ads?

It seems that MS is uniting with Nintendo and prepare for this in a way.

Interesting times ahead for the industry.

Just make good games everyone!

 

[Acorn]

will i be able to sex it up nasty

this is vital info i need

Click to shrink...

This version only does missionary. Wait for a refresh.

 

[Fat4all]

This version only does missionary. Wait for a refresh.

Click to shrink...

disappointing, but expected

 

[Elven_Star]

Streaming will not become the norm any time soon. People keep forgetting how much bandwidth a service like that requires. Sony and MS have nothing to worry about for now. Nintendo never will have anything to worry about if they keep doing what they are doing.

 

[Symphony]

Would be nice if the hardware was on par with a flagship smartphone, we've got a billion Android media or streaming boxes/dongles but nothing on the high end for gaming (the old Shield TV remains the most powerful, which is a joke).

 

[Segafreak]

Do we know of any industry veterans that went over to Google? Will Google adapt to the game industry, or try to disrupt it? I'm afraid if they force their way in like with many other Google products, it will just be abandoned in a few years.

 

[MrKlaw]

couple of things

interested in the business model if its streaming only (perhaps with some media apps). are you buying the games like normal and then just streaming them? So like Onlive? Will people pay $60 for a game they can only stream? Will there be an additional charge to cover the infrastructure - streaming server, bandwidth etc? Or will it be a subscription service like netflix?

Will they expand this to other devices? Its somethign I thought about for xCloud and ps now - if you bring it to tablets/smartphones, how do you deal with control schemes?

 

[CaviarMeths]

Can't imagine anything they show off being more interesting than everything Microsoft has been doing lately.

 

[UltraMagnus]

This is news to us, but MS and Nintendo (and Sony) likely have known about this for a while. Hence probably some motivation (not all, but maybe some) to make a deal between MS and Nintendo perhaps.

Begun the streaming wars have.

 

[MuchiMuchiPink]

Will I get ad popups for sexy waifu maid simulator while playing?

 

[monmagman]

I can't envisage Google doing anything in gaming that would garner my interest.

 

[tellNoel]

Let's hope we don't have another Steambox situation on our hands

 

[Patapuf]

This has to be a streaming thing right?

I somehow have trouble believing they'd do a PS/Xbox style console.

 

[Iucidium]

Would be nice if the hardware was on par with a flagship smartphone, we've got a billion Android media or streaming boxes/dongles but nothing on the high end for gaming (the old Shield TV remains the most powerful, which is a joke).

Click to shrink...

Screen mirroring from phone or streaming from accessing your Google play account, everything else will be streaming only. They wouldn't want to shoot themselves in the foot bringing an expensive thing to the table. Candy crush in 4k - $299

 

[SxP]

The thing about Google is, this is just their current plaything. You have no guarantee it will exist in a year or 5, or be supported next year.

Still, it'll be interesting to see how they shake things up.

 

[Deleted member 34385]

I am expecting that unity will support this from day one. the real question is the deal google can make with epic and unity. if they are on board, the whole indie industry might move to this and release games that work both on mobile and on this console of google i am guessing

 

[illamap]

If it's just a streaming box, I would i imagine it would be beneficial for it to be small as google cast instead of occupying table estate.

 

[Xiofire]

So they can abandon it 1-2 years later? Nice.

Click to shrink...

Honestly, this is my issue with most Google initiatives. They'll support it heavily in the US, barely support it overseas, and then abandon the project shortly after if it doesn't get immediate mainstream popularity. This has happened too many times with Googles products, and I wouldn't trust my gaming library to a service that could be forgotten shortly after it's creation.

My hunch is that this is also a Chromecast with some local computational power to ease streaming woes, much like the box Microsoft are rumored to release. I highly doubt this is a local gaming system at all.

 

[tzare]

If they make something as tiny and cheap as a Chromecast, that can be paired with any bt controllers, so you can keep the price really low, with Ethernet port, and maybe a deal with EA to put their service there to claim the FIFA crowd, they could wipe competition in a fraction of a generation.

 

[UltraMagnus]

Streaming will not become the norm any time soon. People keep forgetting how much bandwidth a service like that requires. Sony and MS have nothing to worry about for now. Nintendo never will have anything to worry about if they keep doing what they are doing.

Click to shrink...

How much bandwidth does it really require though ... you're sending a video signal ... which happens through video streaming today anyway, but you're also sending data input (button presses) .. but really how much data is that actually?