Having come a long way since 2013, the revamped Samsung Gaming Hub is bringing the hottest games to the company’s 2022 lineup of Smart TVs and displays.
People see the Samsung game center (opens in new tab) as the start of a new era in cloud gaming and it’s easy to see why. The platform allows gamers to access all major cloud gaming services without the need for a PC or expensive console. and there was a lot of hype around him because of the new Xbox integration.
new platforms
Xbox Cloud Games is now available on the Samsung Gaming Hub facing services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Google Stadia. You’ll need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription ($15 per month) to access the 100+ games available on the Gaming Hub. Don’t be surprised if that number grows soon, as there are over 350 titles in Game Pass Ultimate in total.
Samsung also released a Twitch app as part of the launch, but it looks like you’ll only be able to watch streams. We asked the company if people can broadcast themselves through the app, but we haven’t heard from them yet. And surprisingly, support for Amazon Luna is in the works. Luna launched in the US in early March; before that it was invite only. It is a streaming service with several themed channels that you can subscribe to. For example, there’s a Jackbox Games channel, a Ubisoft Plus channel, one for retro games, and more.
As for supporting hardware, Samsung specifically highlights the 2022 Neo QLED 8K (opens in new tab) televisions and the Smart display series (opens in new tab) as prime examples. The company claims that these monitors will have a reduced input delay of around 30% compared to older models. A complete list of compatible TVs can be found at Game hub page (opens in new tab). Please be aware that pre-2022 Smart TVs are not platform compatible and unlikely to be.
Most controllers and headphones can be connected to the Gaming Hub via Bluetooth. We also asked Samsung which devices are not supported, and again, we still haven’t heard from them.
future of games
What makes cloud gaming so skewed in the industry (opens in new tab) is the fact that it “opens the door to games you can’t play on low powered devices”. Players will no longer be restricted by weak computers. Imagine a world where consoles are replaced by an official app. Of course, we’ll have to see how these smart TVs perform before any of us destroy our consoles.
Microsoft clearly sees the potential of cloud gaming, but what about Sony? The closest is the new one PlayStation Plus and its multiple layers. As far as we know, Sony has no plans to release a version of its service for PCs or third-party platforms. But the company has enjoyed tremendous success with the release of its PC-exclusive titles. Perhaps Sony is trying to balance some games on PC, but focusing on PS5 first; a case of having your cake and eating it too.
Be sure to check out our list of best cloud gaming services, if you’re looking for recommendations.
