Gaming firm raises $30m for cloud development
Gaming firm raises $30m for cloud development
One company is working hard to develop cloud computing services for the gaming industry.
Gaikai Inc has so far raised around $30 million towards investment in the world’s fastest interactive network, designed to deliver console-quality games to almost any device. The idea behind the project is to use technology to allow people to access video games and interactive software through the cloud in the same way that they currently take for granted access to music, books and films in this manner.
Indeed, consumer interest is already strong in the area of real-time entertainment. The Spring 2011 Internet Traffic Report from Sandvine revealed that web users are increasingly turning towards paid-for and legal streaming services, such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and BitTorrent. Regular use of such online services is known to push up bandwidth use. And, with the median consumption of European subscribers to fixed-access networks already topping 14GB. This increase in consumer bandwidth usage will start to put pressure on Internet connections meaning a capable network solution is becoming imperative.
David Perry, chief executive of GaiKai, explained that with the development of such systems, the next generation of networks will need to be able to deliver “instant, real-time interactive experiences to a connected global audience, both wired and wireless”. He added that Gaikai has been working quietly over the past few years to design and assemble a “custom high-speed interactive network”, which is custom build to deliver their cloud computing vision.
Once established, the firm intends to manage and operate public and private cloud computing platforms as a service, with the intention of allowing its partners to easily launch their own cloud-based services.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
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