Last week, AWS unveiled a new service called Amazon GameLift Streams, a cloud system for game developers to host games and allow players to stream games through the cloud to various devices (via web browsers) at a maximum resolution of 1080p 60fps.
AWS already had a server service for hosting games called GameLift Servers, but it was for online games where players connect through game clients, supporting up to 100 million concurrent players. It was designed to cater to developers who lacked expertise in setting up their own servers.
Taking it a step further, GameLift Streams allows players to stream games without installing them on their devices. All processing is done in Amazon’s data centers, and players can use a variety of devices such as smartphones, tablets, PCs, and smart TVs – just needing a browser that supports WebRTC, which most modern browsers do.
This service is tailored for game companies that prefer not to host games on other gaming cloud platforms like GeForce Now, as they can rent AWS cloud services and do it themselves. On the server side, GameLift Streams supports running games on Windows, Linux, and Proton (allowing games from Steam Deck to run on this server).
Game developers don’t need to modify the code of their existing games, they just need to integrate them with the Amazon GameLift Streams SDK. Some companies already using this service include Bandai Namco with the Gundam series, Ludeo with Hitman World of Assassination, and Xsolla Cloud Gaming using AWS as their backend system.
Currently, GameLift Streams is available in 6 regions, with the closest to us being Asia Pacific (Tokyo).
Source: AWS Blog
**TLDR**: AWS launched Amazon GameLift Streams, a cloud service for game developers to host and stream games to various devices, offering convenience and scalability for both developers and players.
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