Technology giant Alphabet has plans for Google to try to take on the gaming giants of Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox and Tencent.
Google's new digital gaming platform is called Stadia and aims to tackle the industry incumbents with a streaming service that Google boasts will have better quality games than a console.
You will be able to play games on desktops, laptops, TVs and phones according to vice president and general manager for Google, Phil Harrison.
The Stadia platform will come with a controller which includes a button to share gameplay straight onto YouTube, where the video site is already a host of a gigantic amount of gaming footage from other consoles. Apparently YouTube gaming videos will also come with a button where the viewer can press a button and start playing the game they just watched on Stadia.
For the excited gamers out there, one of the first games that you will be able to play is Doom Eternal.
In a sign of a changing technological world, Google will host and operate the hardware needed to play games, all the user needs is a device to connect to the internet. I suppose you could say it's like how Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) has transformed how accountants and bookkeepers access their accounting software.
We didn't learn anything about prices or what other games will be available, but we will find out soon enough with Google planning to launch the service this year.
Not only could this announcement from Alphabet have big implications for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, but it could have ramifications for local players like Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL).
Foolish takeaway
Google is not always successful at what it tries to do. Just look at the lacklustre social media attempt of Google+ as well as the ahead-of-its-time(?) device Google Glass. But, the integration with YouTube could work very well.
I already thought Google shares were worth buying before today, it could be more of a buy after announcing this. We can indirectly buy a slice of Google on the ASX through investments like Magellan Global Trust (ASX: MGG) and BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).
