Just days after Google revealed its revolutionary new game streaming service Stadia, there are rumors that Walmart might want to try its hand in that arena too.
Like pretty much every form of media right now, the way in which we play video games could be about to change. For decades, gaming has revolved around consoles and PCs. The need to own a piece of hardware in order to play titles whether it be a Sega Genesis, PlayStation 2, or Nintendo Switch. That might well be about to change.
Earlier this week at the Game Developers Conference, Google unveiled Stadia. While it was rumored that Google had been working on a console of its own, it turns out it was actually figuring out how to overcome the obstacles associated with a game streaming service. It claims to have done exactly that, hence the unveiling of Stadia which will hopefully be released later this year.
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While Google's foray into the gaming market was somewhat expected, a similar venture from retail giant Walmart would not be. However, according to US Gamer, that might be exactly what's about to happen. In fact, it is believed that Walmart has even gone as far as discussing plans with developers and has even attempted to seek out potential partners at the aforementioned GDC.
If these rumors do turn out to be true, Walmart is likely taking this bold step in order to try and get a leg up on what would become its competition. However, it might be too little too late in that regard. Not only will Google have launched Stadia before the end of the year, Sony's PlayStation Now streaming service has been established for a while, and Microsoft has been working on Project xCloud for quite a while already.
A step away from Walmart's comfort zone might seem like a strange move to some. However, on some level, it actually makes a lot of sense. During the height of gamers buying physical copies of their games throughout the 90s and early 00s, Walmart likely made a fair bit of money from video game sales. With that revenue stream quickly disappearing, giving the game streaming world a try actually makes a lot of sense.