Starting a Cloud Gaming Business: A Comprehensive Guide
Cloud gaming offers an innovative solution to the traditional gaming model, allowing users to stream and play their favorite games on any device with internet access. This article will guide you through the steps to start your own cloud gaming business and the advantages it offers.
Introduction to Cloud Gaming
Video games are a favorite pastime for many, but not everyone has the necessary hardware to play the latest and greatest titles. The cloud gaming approach addresses this issue by offering an efficient and accessible solution. Here are two key benefits:
Upgraded Existing Gear: Consumers don't need to purchase new hardware every few years to play the latest games. Their existing devices can be easily upgraded. Device Compatibility: You can play any game on virtually any device with a screen and an internet connection, including Macs and televisions.Prerequisites for Starting a Cloud Gaming Business
To start your cloud gaming business, you need to have the following prerequisites:
Google Cloud Account
Create a Google Cloud Account with billing enabled. While you won't be charged until your credits expire, you can monitor your credits through Google Cloud Console. Note that you will receive 300 USD in free credit as a new user.
If you add a card to your Google Account, GCP will give you 300 in free credit. However, if you don't shut down your Google Cloud virtual machine after credits finish, charges may apply.
Remote Connection Tools
To connect to your Windows machine over Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), you can use the Remmina Chrome extension. For macOS and Linux, you will need to download and install Parsec.
Note-Taking and Region Selection
Use Google Keep to jot down notes, and determine the appropriate Google Cloud zone which has the lowest Median Latency for your location. For example, if you're in Mumbai, you would use Asia-south1.
GPU Availability
Ensure that the region you chose has available NVIDIA T4 or P4 GPU resources. Check this page to verify GPU availability.
Operating System-Specific Setup
If you're using a Windows machine, you need to create a project in Google Cloud Console and install the Google Cloud SDK. Otherwise, install brew and brew cask on macOS.
Run the following commands on your Terminal (macOS) or in Command Prompt (Windows) to set up your cloud environment:
gcloud init gcloud services enable ...
Installation and Setup Process
Here are the detailed steps to install and set up your cloud gaming server:
Enabling GCE API and Initializing Cloud CLI
Open your Terminal (macOS) or Command Prompt (Windows) and enter the following commands:
gcloud init
Enable the GCE API and initialize the cloud CLI. Then, enable the Compute Engine API:
gcloud services enable
Requesting a GPU
Log in to the quotas page and set the appropriate quota limit to 1. When the request is approved, you will receive an email notification.
Starting a Server
Start your instance with the recommended machine type (n1-standard-4 or n1-standard-8) and T4 GPU. Execute the following command to start your server:
gcloud compute instances create instance-name --zonezone-name --machine-typen1-standard-4 --boot-disk-size100GB --accelerator"typeNVIDIA-T4,count1"
To check GPU availability, use this command:
gcloud compute accelerator-types list
Managing Your Server
Once your server is running, save your new Windows password in Google Keep. Your VM will be greyed out if it is currently shut down.
Conclusion
Starting a cloud gaming business can be a profitable venture with a growing demand. By following the steps outlined above and leveraging the advantages of cloud gaming, you can offer an accessible and enjoyable gaming experience to users worldwide.