This informative guide takes a look at some of the best cloud gaming service providers available on the market in 2023. These service providers are judged based on their pricing module, latency, what additional services they provide, and the game library being offered.
I’ve tested all of these cloud gaming service providers. And, as someone who has spent more than a few hundred hours gaming on the cloud, here are my top picks that will give you the best gaming experience possible.
XBOX Cloud Gaming was launched on September 15, 2020, and since then it has become one of the best cloud gaming service providers in the industry.
Microsoft provides its subscribers with a massive library of games that can be played on a variety of devices such as mobiles, tablets, laptops, and workstations.
Their Gamepass also ties in nicely into the whole Cloud ecosystem. You get access to AAA titles on launch day and have the ability to stream games on your PC if you own Gamepass Ultimate.
Nvidia’s Geforce Now is also a very strong Cloud gaming service provider that has some very flexible pricing plans. The only caveat here is that you need to own the games you want to play via their server.
You need a copy of the game and a very strong internet connection. This can work in your favor if you’ve already bought a lot of games on Steam, Epic, and Uplay. All your existing games will work just fine.
Team Blue also has a Cloud gaming service. PlayStation Plus lets you play games on your PS4/5 & PC. This is a great way to experience older PS1/2/3 and PSP games that you don’t own.
You’ll be able to properly utilize their service if you own a PlayStation as the PC library is very bleak and the app itself needs a major rework. If you own a PC, it’s better that you stick with the XBOX cloud.
Amazon Luna was recently launched on the Fire TV, PC, Mac, and Android. Amazon isn’t really advertising its Cloud service on the front page, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good enough.
If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can try Luna for free. Another great thing about Luna is the sheer variety of kid-friendly games and awesome parental controls. So, if you are looking for a cloud service that your toddler will be using, then Amazon Luna might just be the right choice for you.
Blacknut Cloud service is available on Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux. It offers a decent library of indie and AA titles. The good thing about Blacknut is that it lets players access their cloud on a 2-week trial to see how it performs and whether there is any input lag or not.
You won’t find the latest games here, but it’s a great gateway into gaming for children and casual gamers.
Playkey’s Cloud service might be the perfect one for you if you have a job and only a few hours to play games every day or every week. They offer an hourly plan as well as a lot of pay-to-play titles that are perfect for casual gamers who barely have any time to play games.
Their game library is also growing gradually and has a lot of good games on offer now. Definitely check it out if you think that Geforce Now is too expensive for you.
Paperspace is a different kind of beast. You get to customize your cloud machine based on your needs, and then you’ll be presented with a pricing plan. This is extremely powerful for those looking to utilize cloud services for more than just playing games.
If you only want to game on it though… the best bet would be to opt for hourly price plans. You might find the monthly plans to be a bit too expensive.
Netboom came into the cloud-based gaming scene in 2019 and offers a basic as well as a pro tier. Their game library has grown substantially in the past few years. This cloud service is ideal for those looking to game on their workstations or laptops.
While Netboom is decent, in our opinion…if you want a cloud service solely for gaming, then you should stick to Xbox Cloud or Geforce Now.
AirGPU offers one of the most powerful cloud services on this list. They let you play games at 4k/60fps and have a very decent library of modern AAA games.
The only downside here is the premium pricing. You can only play a few hours on AirGPU in the same price bracket in which you can get a monthly sub from other providers.
You should go for AirGPU if you have the pocket for it as the gaming experience has little to no input delay and there are no frame dips either.
These were our picks for the best cloud gaming service providers in 2023. This list might change drastically in years to come, so keep checking WIG to stay up-to-date on the latest cloud gaming news!
