Video Gamer is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
EA has announced that it is looking for testers for the first technical trial of ‘Project Atlas’, a cloud-based service that combines game engines with user generated content to deliver a unique and unified gaming programme.
Electronic Arts chief technology officer Ken Moss unveiled ‘Project Atlas’ last year as the company’s ‘vision for a cloud-native gaming future.’ Although the post explained how EA intends to fuse different yet equally significant technologies like artificial intelligence and online social features, details on when it would launch were thin on the ground. Today, it seems that ‘Project Atlas’ is taking its first steps, as Moss published a new post asking for interested parties to test-drive its initial iteration.
‘Our goal with this exclusive trial is to gather more inputs at scale to test performance and quality of service in a variety of network conditions and on multiple server routing scenarios. While this particular trial will be focused on cloud gaming on PC, we are also working to understand performance across multiple other devices,’ Moss stated. ‘Most importantly, we are here to learn how to improve and enhance the cloud gaming experience for our players.’
Testers will be able to register for ‘Project Atlas’ through EA’s Community Playtesting service, and the technical trial will involve four games: FIFA 19, Titanfall 2, Need for Speed Rivals, and Unravel. Cross-play and cross-save are included across supported devices.
‘Above all, our pursuit of cloud gaming is rooted in our games and our players. We’ve said all along that we want to be where our players are. We fully believe in more choices for our players, and connecting them to a world of play across more platforms and geographies,’ said Moss. ‘The bottom line is this. Cloud gaming is coming. It’s no longer a question of if, but when. It’s still really early days but we’re excited to take this next step in our learning, and it’s great to be able to do it with some of you in our community. This is about enhancing the quality of our games and services for a cloud powered future. So if there is an opportunity to elevate the experience and inspire more people to play, we are going to explore it.’
Google Stadia will launch in November with titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Gylt, and Microsoft’s Project xCloud enters public trials before the end of this year. It certainly seems that the forecast is sunny for cloud gaming services.
