How Microsoft Could Win the Streaming War Before it Begins

Cloud gaming is something that has always occupied a strange and secluded place in the industry. Onlive managed to turn a few heads, but the vast majority of gamers have stuck to their hardware. For most, cloud gaming is a novelty. An interesting concept, but not something ready for the mainstream audience. This, however, is changing. With the news of Sony’s acquisition of Gaikai last month, followed by Onlive’s support of the Ouya System, it is clear that cloud gaming will be incredibly important as the industry moves forward into the next generation, and will likely be the dominant form of gaming in the near future. The companies mentioned above will be a big part of that transition, and are currently the powerhouses in the cloud gaming industry. Yet, there is already one company which has a perfect setup to win the cloud gaming wars before they begin – whether it realizes it or not. That company is Microsoft.