Google May Release a Video Game Subscription Service, Console in March

According to a report from Polygon today, Google is preparing to launch “Project Yeti,” which is said to be a new game streaming service, at its keynote presentation at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) on March 19, at 10 a.m. PT.

Google's Project Yeti

Google is working on “a subscription-based game streaming service that could work either on Google’s Chromecast or possibly a Google-made console,” The Information reported earlier this month. Polygon believes Google's official announcement will come in March, based on a invitation for its keynote Google sent out that read "Gather around." 

A previous report from Kotaku claimed the service would be paired with “some sort of hardware.” However, it’s not clear yet whether this will be some kind of low-end Android-based console or something meant to take on the latest (or future) Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

Google Getting Serious about Gaming

Last October, Google unveiled “Project Stream,” a technology that enables high-quality game streaming in Google's Chrome web browser. The company may now be looking to launch its own game streaming service based on the same technology.

Google is also said to be actively trying to bring game developers in-house, either through aggressive recruiting or through acquisitions of game studios. That implies that Google doesn’t want to just build a gaming platform for third-party studios, but that it also wants to develop and publish its own games too.

Years ago, Google wanted to acquire Twitch, but the company lost the bidding war with Amazon. So it seems Google has more than a passing interest in the gaming industry, and if The Information's sources are correct, it may be ready to take on other gaming giants head-on very soon.