Insights from Cloud Gaming Infrastructure and Publishing Company, Aethir.

Traditional game publishing has navigated through a myriad of challenges over the years, including platform restrictions, high costs, and lengthy approval processes. On the flip side, cloud gaming emerges as a promising avenue, poised to revolutionise the gaming industry by mitigating many of these hurdles.

The narrative of gaming has evolved significantly from cartridges to digital downloads, marking transformative leaps at each juncture. Now, with the advent of cloud gaming, a new chapter is unfolding that promises to redefine the challenges traditionally faced by game publishers.

At the forefront of this revolutionary shift is Aethir, a leading decentralised cloud infrastructure (DCI) for gaming and AI, driving a paradigm shift in how games are published and accessed.

The Rise of Cloud Gaming in Publishing

Cloud gaming allows gamers to play games directly from the cloud without the need for physical copies or digital downloads. This paradigm shift holds significant implications for game publishing, presenting a fresh, more efficient approach to delivering gaming content. For instance, games that were traditionally bound by physical or digital copies now have the potential to reach audiences more swiftly and with fewer barriers.

This symbiotic relationship between cloud gaming and publishing not only enhances the gamer’s experience but also furnishes publishers with insightful data to refine their offerings, underscoring cloud gaming’s transformative potential in the gaming industry.

Aethir caters to the unique needs of game publishers seeking more freedom and wider reach. Through its technology, games that previously encountered rejection from traditional app stores now have a nurturing environment where they can flourish and connect with a broader audience.

Let’s look into some of the big ways cloud gaming is changing traditional game publishing.

1. Bypassing App Store Red Tape

Traditional app stores come with a set of stringent policies and regulations. Cloud game publishing sidesteps these hurdles, providing a more straightforward path to market. Unlike the conventional approval process of app stores like Google Play or Apple’s App Store, cloud publishing cuts down the waiting time significantly, allowing for a faster and more flexible publishing process.

Moreover, bypassing the bureaucratic tape of app stores offers a haven for creativity and innovation. Developers no longer need to mould their content to fit into the strict guidelines of traditional platforms, which often stifle creative freedom. This liberation from restrictive policies facilitates a more diversified and vibrant gaming ecosystem, where unconventional or indie games have a chance to shine and reach their intended audience without compromise. Besides, cloud publishing promotes a more direct relationship between developers and gamers, eliminating the intermediaries that often dilute the gaming experience. By detouring the red tape, cloud game publishing not only accelerates the go-to-market strategy but also cultivates a more enriched and user-centric gaming landscape.

2. Effortless Game Testing

The agility inherent in cloud gaming platforms significantly expedites the iterative process of game development, particularly during the crucial alpha and beta testing phases. In traditional setups, the cumbersome approval processes of app stores often introduce delays that can be detrimental to the timely collection and implementation of essential feedback. However, cloud publishing alleviates this bottleneck, providing a conducive environment for real-time testing and refinements. Developers can seamlessly roll out updates or new versions to a controlled group of testers, gather feedback, make necessary adjustments, and re-release the game for further evaluation, all in a considerably shortened time frame. This swift feedback loop not only accelerates the game development lifecycle but also ensures a higher quality of the final product as developers can promptly address bugs or other issues. Over time, this streamlined testing process could lead to a more robust and engaging gaming experience, underscoring the invaluable role of cloud gaming in modern game development and publishing.

3. Liberating Niche Genres

Conventional game publishing often curtails creativity, especially when it comes to niche genres. Niche games often face challenges in accessing a broader market to test their games. In such scenarios, cloud publishing opens up a space for these games to reach their target audience instantly and cost-effectively.

Cloud publishing, with its more lenient and open-ended framework, provides a welcoming platform for these niche genres to thrive and connect with their intended audience. This democratisation of game publishing not only enriches the gaming ecosystem with a plethora of unique and unconventional gaming experiences but also cultivates a more vibrant and competitive market.

Developers of niche genre games, and even adult or gambling experiences now have an alternative to the red tape often encountered on traditional publishing platforms, and instead, can focus on honing their creative vision and engaging with a broader, more diverse audience.‍

4. Dramatic Reduction in CPI (Cost Per Install)

Traditional game publishing often involves high CPIs, especially for premium titles. By eliminating download barriers, cloud platforms can significantly reduce drop-off rates. Moreover, with cloud gaming, publishers can retain a larger slice of the pie. In the absence of a mandatory 30% cut that platforms like the App Store or STEAM demand, developers and publishers can enjoy better profitability, directly benefiting from their efforts.

5. A Web3 Gaming Solution

Cloud game publishing aligns well with the emerging Web3 gaming solutions, providing a decentralised, player-empowered ecosystem. This alignment fosters a more open and equitable gaming industry.

Web3, with its decentralised ethos, empowers players and developers alike by disintermediating the traditional gatekeepers and redistributing control. When combined with cloud gaming, a fertile ground for innovation and user-centric experiences is formed. Developers can leverage blockchain technologies to create and publish games with embedded economic models, such as play-to-earn, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for unique digital ownership.

Players, on the other hand, gain from an enhanced sense of agency and value recognition as they can truly own in-game assets and possibly earn from their gaming activities.

Moreover, the transparency and security inherent in blockchain technology further add layers of trust and engagement among the stakeholders. This synergy between cloud gaming and Web3 is not merely a technical evolution, but a philosophical alignment towards a more inclusive, transparent, and player-centric gaming industry, marking a significant stride towards realising the full potential of digital interactive entertainment.

Aethir: The Vanguard of Cloud Game Publishing

Aethir is at the forefront of cloud game publishing, offering a platform that caters to the unique needs of game publishers aspiring for more freedom and wider reach. Essentially, Aethir is carving a path towards a more inclusive and accessible gaming industry, showcasing the substantial advantages of cloud game publishing. By harnessing the capabilities of Aethir’s platform, game developers have the opportunity to thrive and connect with audiences on a larger scale, transcending the limitations of traditional app stores.

Cloud game publishing stands as a beacon of hope for game publishers, presenting numerous advantages over traditional publishing methods. By embracing cloud game publishing, developers can gain complete control over their content, distribution, and monetization, fostering a more direct relationship with their audience and paving the way for a brighter, more inclusive gaming future.