Microsoft highlights its Xbox cloud gaming division with Kim Swift (Portal, Left 4 Dead). The first game to use the technology natively could sign Hideo Kojima.
It’s time for the Game Developers Conference 2022, so a whole range of companies are taking the opportunity to talk tech, show their games to professionals, share their manufacturing secrets… On the Microsoft side, one of the hot topics is relative to the Xbox Cloud gaming department that had a new video presentation. It is Kim Swift, head of the section, who is complying. After contributing to Portal (Project Lead, Designer) and Left 4 Dead (Designer, Artist) for Valve, she stopped at Stadia.
A country to conquer
What is Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming division? A full-fledged team to team up with “The best development teams from around the world to create cloud-native games to bring players unprecedented experiences that can only be achieved with this technology.”.
In her presentation, Kim Swift highlights the many things that cloud computing enables without developers being constrained by the power of a machine. For example, she sees this technology as a way to free up resources by managing AI and/or physics in the cloud. In your opinion, the cloud could make NPCs more believable or even destroy them. Even if the result wasn’t very promising, Crackdown 3 tried that with the explosion of environments thanks to the cloud.
She also believes cloud computing could help test games through machine learning. The famous “Quality Assurance” department responsible for the proper functioning of the titles. Ditto, in their opinion, machine learning would have the ability to improve elements in procedurally generated software or even identify toxic behavior within the gaming community.
But Kim Swift is clear: there is still everything to be done. She compares this to the emergence of streaming platforms like Netflix, where you had to wait until the internet connection was robust enough.
A first native Xbox cloud gaming game starring Hideo Kojima?
To clear the floor and have a showcase that appeals to everyone, the Microsoft division is reportedly in talks with Hideo Kojima for an xCloud-only game. More than talks, journalist Jeff Grubb (Venturebeat) claims that even a memorandum of understanding between Xbox and Kojima Productions has been signed.
Realistic? Yes, if you string the tracks together. As previously mentioned, Xbox Cloud Gaming’s goal is to partner with the major studios for exclusive xCloud products. The creator of Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid (among others) would therefore be the ideal pickaxe. Also, the tech-hungry Japanese developer almost teamed up with Stadia, but Google ultimately declined. Considering what happened after that, the closure of Stadia Studios, maybe it’s not that bad…
In any case, this game would be the studio’s smallest project, but where it gets complicated (rumored what) is that this mysterious title could also be a PSVR2 game, in collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment. Wait and see what they say!
What do you think of cloud computing and possible uses? Is Microsoft right in wanting to create games using only this technology? Tell us everything in the comments.
