Over twenty years ago, mobile gaming was popularized by Snake, which came preloaded on almost every Nokia phone. Now, thanks to cloud gaming and remote rendering, you can port your console and PC game experience directly onto your phone, playing everything from Sea of Thieves to Halo.
It’s no longer a question of whether you can play AAA games on your phone. Instead, the bigger question now is: Can your network handle it?
The mobile gaming revolution has come, and we’re living in the fun new future it created, especially now that networks like AT&T 5G can deliver the blazing-fast and low lag connection that these games deserve.
Essentially, the addition of 5G means that gaming is virtually limitless. Your games aren’t locked to the platform you bought them on anymore. You can now start Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands at home, pick it up on your commute, or at work on your laptop, then continue your game in the park before heading back to your console. All with the same saved game.
This sort of seamlessness is getting increasingly common, but you could very easily have missed it because there wasn’t a single big moment where it “arrived.” Instead, a bunch of people in different areas in tech made awesome advancements that have coalesced beautifully.
Mobile developers figured out how to translate gamepad controls onto a touch interface. These folks defined mobile gaming and showed us what was possible.
And carriers like AT&T incessantly invested in and improved their mobile networks, with 5G now available to more than 250 million Americans.
That meant console manufacturers and the biggest publishers needed to enable cross-platform compatibility and cloud convenience features.
And we can’t forget the cloud gaming experts who make game streaming possible, from early innovators like OnLive and Gaikai to Google Stadia, GeForce NOW and so many other services
All of that has fused into a perfect tech storm. Now, with touchscreen controls that rival the feel of a gamepad and a 5G connection from AT&T*, that home console experience goes with you when you leave your home.
For gamers, this is the dream. Real AAA gaming that is theoretically possible at any given moment, regardless of virtually wherever you are. But while this dream has been delivered, it’s still only in its infancy.
This new world of playing whatever game you want whenever and wherever you want to play it is light years ahead of where we were just a few years ago thanks to the cloud and 5G. But this system is not one company making a product. It relied, and continues to do so, on many companies teaming up and forging completely new kinds of working relationships with each other.
Mobile gaming has essentially been in beta for the past couple decades, and right now we’re at the 1.0, full release version. And it’s incredible. A phone with an AT&T 5G connection will help do the heavy lifting so you can grind out your exotic quests without sweating lag or stream quality.
Showcasing the power of its 5G system, AT&T is now offering the hit game Control: Ultimate Edition to its 5G customers to play on a smartphone, tablet or computer. It’s simple click-to-play with no downloads, no subscriptions, or other costs. (Go to att.com/PlayNow, enter your phone number and zip code associated with your AT&T mobile account, and you’re free to start playing.)
What comes next is true seamlessness. It’s probably not something that will ever simply “happen” all at once. But it’ll come gradually, in stages, as the companies involved solidify their new dynamics with each other.
Major advancements have been underway lately, and gamers are already benefiting immensely – especially with AT&T handing out massive six-month trials for Stadia Pro and GeForce NOW, maybe THE two most essential services for cloud gaming.
As these companies keep working together, these relationships will form the basis of a new unified ecosystem. A metaverse that’ll transcend brand loyalty, where you can “throw” any game you’re playing from your home console to any other device in seconds – even from the Xbox in the living room to the PlayStation in the bedroom or the PC in the office. No more having to wait several minutes for the game to boot up on another device. No login queues to stream a game from the cloud. Just the game you want, delivered to wherever you are, whenever you want it, instantly.
We’re not there yet, but we’re a lot closer to it than you might think.
*Must have an eligible 5G device with qualifying wireless plan (min. $75/mo. before discounts). After 6-mos., Stadia Pro renews at $9.99/mo.; unless you cancel. Nvidia, Stadia and access to 5G require compatible device. AT&T 5G not available everywhere. See att.com/5Gforyou for 5G coverage details. Subj. to change. New or existing AT&T wireless customers. Add’l fees, taxes & other charges, & restr’s apply. See att.com/gaming for details.
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