Cloud gaming's shift in focus: from console wars to ecosystem dominance

The era of console wars, where social media and forums were flooded with debates, seems to be fading away. The arrival of exclusive titles on PC has significantly altered gamers' perspectives. However, a more profound change has occurred, rendering those eternal debates obsolete. Today, companies no longer aim to retain you within a system but rather in an ecosystem. This shift is encapsulated in BCG's detailed analysis, which highlights the cloud's role as an additional gateway, allowing seamless play without downloads, wait times, or the need for multiple accounts.

Cloud gaming's rise

According to a platform survey, six out of ten players have already tried cloud gaming, with eight out of ten reporting a positive experience. The key nuance lies in actual usage, as around 70% of those who've tried it still dedicate less than a quarter of their gaming time to it. Cloud gaming is a convincing option, but it hasn't yet surpassed traditional gaming methods.

BCG predicts the cloud gaming industry has immense growth potential, potentially reaching $15.9 billion by 2030, up from $1.2 billion in 2025. Microsoft's Xbox, for instance, seeks a consistent experience across consoles, PCs, and the cloud, which is why it's bringing a part of its system to Windows. The Project Helix presentation served as a declaration of intent, focusing on the pursuit of an ecosystem rather than Game Pass.

Sony's PlayStation Plus Premium follows a similar logic, allowing a selection of PS5 games to work seamlessly on both console and PlayStation Portal with a subscription, thanks to the cloud's benefits. NVIDIA, while taking a different approach, shares the same goal with GeForce Now, enabling games to be played on mobile devices, TVs, Steam Deck, and laptops without local downloads.

For experts, the market's growth doesn't stem from gamers playing more hours but rather from monetizing better and controlling the platform. Today's