Samsung Unveils its Mobile Gaming with Game Launcher Cloud Platform

Samsung Electronics formally unveils Game Launcher, a cloud gaming platform tailored for mobile devices. This unveiling is scheduled for the Samsung Developer Conference 2023 (SDC 23) on October 5.

This cloud gaming platform aims to offer its gaming experience to the vast community of Galaxy smartphone and tablet users, which numbers a staggering 1 billion globally. It will enable users to immerse themselves in popular real-time games directly on their devices without needing console purchases or game app downloads. 

With this, Samsung plans a broader vision of establishing a sustainable revenue stream through services, further reducing dependence on hardware sales.

Unlike many other cloud gaming services primarily offering PC and console games, Samsung’s cloud gaming platform, Game Launcher, targets mobile games. 

This strategy responds to changes in the advertising landscape, with increasing ad targeting restrictions in recent years impacting game-install-ad revenue. By allowing users to play mobile games in the cloud without needing traditional app installations, Samsung aims to recapture lost revenue opportunities.

This feature is undergoing a pilot phase in the United States and Canada, with plans for further expansion. Samsung Electronics has been steadily venturing into gaming-related businesses since the launch of “Gaming Hub” last year. This gaming platform integration service allows users to enjoy streamed games on smart TVs, eliminating the need for a dedicated console.

Presently, Samsung Electronics is in talks with global game developers to diversify its game library. Unlike some cloud gaming services that charge users subscription fees, Samsung does not plan to impose such costs on its users. 

However, fees may be associated with accessing specific cloud gaming services or popular games through the platform, including options like Nvidia’s GeForce Now.

While details on partnerships and specific games remain forthcoming, the move towards cloud gaming is expected to expand its service revenue streams beyond traditional device sales.

As the Samsung Developer Conference approaches, scheduled amidst a busy season of tech events, more details regarding the cloud gaming platform are anticipated. 

The move leverages its vast user base of nearly 1 billion Galaxy smartphones worldwide. Game developers can access this extensive audience without incurring the hefty fees, often up to 30 percent, charged by Apple, Google, and other platforms.

Samsung Electronics reportedly intends to impose platform service fees on game makers, but these fees are expected to be more competitive than those charged by its industry counterparts. 

The company aims to create a mutually beneficial scenario for both Samsung and game companies, fostering a ‘win-win’ situation, as an IT industry insider suggested. The upcoming conference promises to shed further light on the specifics of Samsung’s cloud gaming initiative.

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