Watch Google Yeti Announcement and Get Specs, Lineup and Price Live
Google is unveiling what they're describing as "the future of gaming" at the 2019 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday. While there's little official information available regarding the announcement, persistent rumors describe the event as the launch of a game streaming service—offering to a wider audience the technology behind their October 2018 Project Stream test, which enabled graphically-intensive games through the Chrome browser with computing power handled by remote servers.
Known by the codename "Yeti," Google's game streaming service is expected to be more than a browser window experience, but instead a full gaming platform, combining a subscription-based game streaming service with Google gaming hardware.
"Gather around as we unveil Google's vision for the future of gaming," a social media announcement featuring game-like environments reads.
Gather around as we unveil Google’s vision for the future of gaming at #GDC19. Join us live 3/19 at 10 a.m. PT → https://t.co/rb6fN26PDi pic.twitter.com/Vd242KZAWO
— Google (@Google) March 12, 2019
Watching Google's GDC unveiling is simple, just check in here at 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 19. The livestream for the Google gaming event is embedded below.
Google's GDC 2019 Gaming Announcement
While Google's Yeti streaming service is expected to be made available for multiple platforms—allowing gaming on Android TVs, Android tablets and Chrome browser windows—it's possible Google could also have a new gaming system rollout in store, complete with hardware specs, a games lineup and other features.
Google has a 2018 patent on a specialized controller, which could indicate what's in store at Tuesday's GDC announcement. Other Google acquisitions, such as their 2014 purchase of Green Throttle Games—a video game and video game peripheral developer founded by Charles Huang, who previously co-founded Guitar Hero developer ReddOctane—could give some idea of Google's ambitions.
Exactly what games will be available for the launch of the Yeti streaming service is also unknown. The Project Stream trial used Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, which would suggest that Triple AAA console titles are likely to be included in the launch. Assassin's Creed publisher Ubisoft most recently released Tom Clancy's The Division 2, an online shooter that seems like a natural fit for the Google streaming service.
Price is also unknown, though competing game streaming services like PlayStation Now—which costs $19.99 a month—set a likely benchmark for Google's soon-to-be-announced Yeti service.
Check back again at 1 p.m. EDT for the full live stream of the Google gaming announcement from GDC, which will hopefully reveal hardware, specs, a games lineup and other features to come in Google's gaming future.