Finest of all, the best game streaming services can connect you to fantastic video games in minutes rather than hours.. As opposed to installing or downloading games to a console or computer, you may stream them immediately to any device of your choosing. Whether you want to pay a monthly subscription for access to a complete library of games, buy new games à la carte, or make use of your current collection, there are a variety of low-cost, simple-to-use alternatives available to you.
There aren’t that many of them, to put it mildly. Even though there are a slew of specialized game streaming services available, there are only a handful of well-known and readily accessible providers available. Even so, the services mentioned on our top game streaming services page should serve as a solid starting point for your research. If one of these fits your requirements, go ahead and subscribe; if not, there are a variety of alternative options available. Just keep in mind that they are often a bit more costly, a little more difficult to use, or a little more difficult to acquire on your preferred platform, so plan ahead of time!
Find out more about our top-rated game streaming services, including their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the advantages and disadvantages that each has to offer.
What are the best game streaming services?
At the moment, there are only a limited number of game streaming services that may be purchased. Nvidia GeForce Now, PlayStation Now, and Google Stadia are among the services we suggest to you. When it comes to technical aspects of game streaming, there are many choices available, ranging from PlayStation 4 Remote Play on Android phones to Steam’s ability to broadcast across different PCs. It is a dynamic market, and it is difficult to predict which services will be added or removed in the future.
Microsoft’s ambitious Project xCloud, currently dubbed “Cloud Gaming (beta),” is also accessible in a broad range of configurations. It is not listed here since the service is still officially in beta, but it is already a fantastic choice with more than 100 games to choose from.
Additionally, Amazon Luna, which charges a fixed price, allows gamers to stream a range of games to PCs and streaming devices. The service, on the other hand, is still in its early access phase. This service isn’t accessible to everyone, and its performance isn’t flawless.
According to our current assessment, Nvidia GeForce Now is the finest game streaming service if you already own a collection of games from Steam, Uplay, or the Epic Games Store. For those who want access to a pre-built library of hundreds of games but aren’t interested in buying any of them in the long run, PlayStation Now is the finest game streaming service available. In addition, Google Stadia is the finest game streaming service if all you want to do is purchase games one at a time, Ã la carte.
The best game streaming services you can buy today
1.Nvidia GeForce Now
Specifications
- PC, Mac, Nvidia Shield, and Android are all supported platforms.
- Price: Free with a $5 monthly subscription
- Pricing Structure: A la carte
- There are almost 650 games in all.
Reasons to make a purchase
- Nothing on the list
Reasons to stay away
- There is no such thing as an empty list.
The performance and flexibility of Nvidia GeForce Now are among the best available in the world of game streaming at the moment. Even better, it makes use of your current library, so you won’t have to pay a dime to give it a go. The way the system works is as follows: You install the GeForce Now application on a machine that is compatible with it, such as a PC or an Android smartphone. After that, you connect the service to your Steam, Uplay, or Epic Games library to play games. You download and install a suitable game on a distant computer, and then you can play it on the platform of your choice using the remote machine. Although the procedure seems to be a bit complex in principle, it is a smooth and flawless one in reality.
There are a few possible disadvantages to the system. The GeForce Now library does not include every PC game available, and although many publishers have added new titles to the library, others have removed titles from the library. Furthermore, the free tier requires you to wait in a line and restricts the amount of time you may spend playing. In reality, the premium tier offers the same experience, but with a considerably shorter wait and a much longer time restriction.
2.PlayStation Now
Specifications
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One
- Price: $5 to $10 per month depending on the plan.
- Subscription-based pricing model
- The number of games is about 650+.
Reasons to make a purchase
- Nothing on the list
Reasons to stay away
- There is no such thing as an empty list.
It is worth noting that PlayStation Now is the only big game streaming service that operates on a subscription basis, and it does it admirably. The DualShock 4 controller, as well as a monthly membership fee, and either a PC or a PlayStation 4 are all required. Then there’s Sony’s game catalog, which includes more than 650 PS2, PS3, and PS4 titles, among other things. Some of the games are permanently housed at the library, while others are rotated in and out on a regular basis.
The quality of the games you’ll be able to play via PS Now is something to behold. God of War, Resident Evil, Ratchet & Clank, Red Dead Redemption, and Uncharted are just a few of the series that are present and accounted for, and you can play through the whole of the games in 1080p quality. It’s also a fantastic chance for PC gamers to try out certain PlayStation-exclusive games since both the PC and PS4 applications are well-designed and functional.
3.Google Stadia
Specifications
- Platforms include PC, Mac, Google Chromecast Ultra, and Android devices.
- Price: Free with a $10 monthly subscription
- Pricing Structure: A la carte
- The number of games is in the 40s.
Reasons to make a purchase
Nothing on the list
Reasons to stay away
There is no such thing as an empty list.
It’s possible that the most complete game streaming service on this list will be the newest addition to the list. Google Stadia is, in principle, what the greatest game streaming services will look like in the future, and it is now in beta testing. Individual games are purchased in the same way that they would be on a console or PC, but they may be played on virtually any device you want. With the Chrome browser, Stadia can be streamed to virtually any computer, to TVs through the Chromecast Ultra, or to a select few Android devices through the Stadia app. You are free to bring whatever controller you wish with you on the trip.
Stadia is usually reliable in terms of streaming quality, and it offers a diverse selection of titles to choose from, like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Doom Eternal. However, even when operating at maximum speed, Stadia visuals do not seem to be as visually appealing as their PC or console equivalents. Furthermore, its catalog has expanded slowly, and it does not yet have any exclusive titles that are particularly noteworthy.
How to choose the best game streaming service for you
The ideal game streaming service for you is usually determined by how you like to purchase your games in the first place. For those who already have a decent gaming PC and are just interested in being able to play their games on a TV or phone, Nvidia GeForce Now is the most suitable option. There is no need for you to purchase your games all over again, and you will not even be required to pay for a membership if you are patient and ready to take regular pauses from your game.
Even if you don’t have many games, PlayStation Now is a good choice since it comes with a large library of titles. Whether you like action games, role-playing games, racing games, or simulations, you are virtually certain to discover something you enjoy. If, on the other hand, you are uncomfortable with the concept of renting games rather than purchasing them, this is probably not the option for you.
It is possible to use Google Stadia even if you do not have high-end gaming gear at home, but you still want to experiment with certain demanding games. In spite of the fact that you’ll still be required to pay full price for the games you play, you won’t have to shell out for a costly console or computer on top of that.
How we test game streaming services
We have tried all of the top game streaming services in the last few years as part of other articles, so although Tom’s Guide doesn’t usually publish comprehensive evaluations of them, we have done so in the previous few years as part of other stories. We assess them in the same way that we would any other streaming service. In order to assess how effectively the service operates on various kinds of connections, we play games for at least an hour at a time (wired, wireless, home, corporate, etc.). We also take into account the interface of a service, the game selection, and the number of platforms on which it is accessible.
The most essential aspect of the assessment is whether a service streams smoothly, or whether it has lag, ripping, or freezing on a connection that is otherwise robust. The game library is also a significant factor, especially since it is difficult to predict whether or not any individual player would like the large, popular titles that are accessible on virtually every gaming platform.
Price is just a minor consideration since none of the services are prohibitively costly, but anything that offers a high-quality free tier earns our recommendation on this basis.
