New figures from Limelight Networks, Inc. have revealed our current gaming habits, offering a few surprise insights into people’s attitude towards new streaming services like Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now.
Despite the various fumbles from Google in the roll-out of Stadia, it looks like we’re warming to the idea of console-free gaming. A third of UK gamers say they would be willing to subscribe to the service – and globally 70 percent of “expert” gamers say they’re interested in the service.
So what’s stopping us? According to the survey, the most important factor we think about when signing up to a new streaming service is the cost. It looks like Google’s £8.99 is just a bit too rich for our tastes.
Related: Read our Google Stadia review
That said, the second most-important factor is the performance of the service – that’s the speed and potential lag in streaming. It’s likely that a combination of the above is what’s stopping the masses from descending on Stadia and other such services.
Limelight offers a list of recommendations in the report, which outlines the need for providers to make sure games perform properly.
“Already numerous articles in the press discuss latency issues affecting game play, especially with fast action play,” reads the report. “Players notice the difference when comparing performance against downloaded versions of the same game.”
Related: What is Nvidia GeForce Now?
Other little nuggets in the report reveal how many of us are slipping in some game time at work (a third of us globally) and how many of us have skipped a shower to keep playing (just over 22 percent.)
And the report also shows how things like Twitch have changed our viewing habits. According to the worldwide figures, if you’re below the age of 35 you’re much more likely to be watching someone’s live game stream than watching the footy. Globally, we’re spending nearly four hours watching game streams per week and just under three hours watching traditional sports.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
