Project Tempo is Amazon's answer to Google Stadia.
Cloud gaming was in the tech headlines last year with several services taking off and promising happy gaming days on basically any device with a screen and internet connection. Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud are already live and gaining momentum, while others seem to be playing catch-up. Another big name enters the race, however! According to the New York Times, Amazon is getting ready to compete in the cloud gaming market with its Project Tempo.The details are pretty scarce at the moment. Still, Tempo encapsulates the same idea seen in other cloud gaming services. All computations needed to run a game are carried out server-side, allowing people to use phones, tablets, and TVs to play graphics-heavy AAA games. There’s no information on any technical specification of Project Tempo, such as what devices it will support, game framerates, and internet speed requirements. The service will most likely use a subscription and offer similar options to its direct competitors.
Image – Amazon Games
Amazon is pretty serious about getting into the gaming business. The company plans not only to launch a cloud gaming platform but also to produce games. The first title is called Crucible and was scheduled for an initial release at the end of March. The current health situation pushed that date to May, and we might see further delays. The game itself is a mix between a typical shooter and a cooperative arena-type game with strategic elements. As it turns out, Crucible had been in development since 2014 and underwent many metamorphoses. Its current iteration focuses on competitive online play and live-streaming via Twitch.
Amazon plans to launch other game titles as well. While Crucible is developed by Relentless in Seattle, another Amazon studio is working on a massively multiplayer online game called New World. It throws players in an alternative 17th-century fantasy universe. If the current lockdown situation drags out, investing in gaming operations might turn out to be the right decision for Amazon. Many people are stranded home and exhausting every possible entertainment option.