Cloud Gaming Won’t Replace Dedicated Hardware Anytime Soon

With the likes of Google and Microsoft making strides with their cloud streaming technologies (to varying degrees), cloud gaming has become a hot topic over the past year or so, while there’s also been plenty of interest from various other major parties in the industry. Most agree that cloud gaming will continue to grow in size and popularity as time goes by, but most also agree that for at least a few more years, dedicated hardware is going to continue to be the way most people prefer to play games (including head of Xbox Phil Spencer himself).

Someone else who agrees with that sentiment is Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa. Earlier in 2019, Furukawa talked about the potential of cloud gaming, saying that though the technology would surely advance in the future, Nintendo will remain focused on dedicated hardware for the foreseeable future. Recently, in an interview with Nikkei, he echoed those sentiments once again.

“It’s possible that cloud gaming could capture the public’s interest in 10 years from now, however at this point in time, I do not think that dedicated hardware will go away,” said Furukawa. “It’s a long way off before we’ll really know the outcome.”

He did, however, follow that up by saying that Nintendo is not ignoring cloud technology (or other technologies), suggesting that focusing solely on dedicated consoles is short-sighted, and not something the Japanese giant wants to do.

“It would be pointless to solely focus on methods of play that can only be had on dedicated hardware,” he said. “Once your audience starts saying they can play on other consoles or smartphones instead, you’re finished.”

Furukawa gave assurances that Nintendo is “constantly researching and developing” and looking into new technologies, and that if they feel such technologies can be effectively implemented in their games, they will utilize them in their hardware as well.

“Something I do not want the public to misunderstand is that we are not turning our backs on new technologies,” he said. “We are constantly researching and developing. Our hardware development teams evaluate all kinds of new technologies available thus far and consult with our software developers.

“If they determine that a technology can be used with a game, then they will utilize it. We will not be changing this fundamental approach moving forward.”