3 ms·

Arguably, Google already had a strong and successful platform in mobile gaming (Google Play Games). It's even present on TV these days, with game controllers to

by ridaj 6y ago

Arguably, Google already had a strong and successful platform in mobile gaming (Google Play Games). It's even present on TV these days, with game controllers too (Google TV Chromecast takes bluetooth game controllers with which one can play a range of made-for-TV-screen Android games). I'm not sure why they didn't grow that to support server side rendering instead of starting a platform from scratch for which they were obviously unable to get enough content commitments (not even talking about exclusives here, there just isn't even enough non-exclusive content).

Abishek_Muthian 6y ago
Perhaps because to avoid confusion between mobile games & their PC counterparts; Say 'Call of Duty Mobile' vs 'Call of Duty' if both were on Google Play Games it would be very confusing and of course licensing headache.
aylmao 6y ago
> I'm not sure why they didn't grow that to support server side rendering instead of starting a platform from scratch... I'd assume company politics. Steve Jobs described Apple like a "big startup" [1]— it had 0 committees, and instead had one person in charge of each of the things the company needed to do/care about. They all met weekly and talked about everything they were doing, and it yielded great collaboration. That's why everything "makes sense" and grows from the divisions/apps you'd expect. Google sounds more like Microsoft before it, with different teams doing work that might overlap and compete against one another. On top of that, afaik flashy "new" products play better for promotions than building upon something that exists. Hence Play Music and Youtube Music, Android and Chrome OS, Google Play and Stadia, etc. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5b4nn3ZEVU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5b4nn3ZEVU
- hiptobecubic 6y ago
  Absolutely yes. Also Google has had an explosion of upper management (director and vp) and the way they battle for turf is like game of thrones.

by ridaj 6y ago

Abishek_Muthian 6y ago

Perhaps because to avoid confusion between mobile games & their PC counterparts; Say 'Call of Duty Mobile' vs 'Call of Duty' if both were on Google Play Games it would be very confusing and of course licensing headache.

aylmao 6y ago

> I'm not sure why they didn't grow that to support server side rendering instead of starting a platform from scratch... I'd assume company politics. Steve Jobs described Apple like a "big startup" [1]— it had 0 committees, and instead had one person in charge of each of the things the company needed to do/care about. They all met weekly and talked about everything they were doing, and it yielded great collaboration. That's why everything "makes sense" and grows from the divisions/apps you'd expect. Google sounds more like Microsoft before it, with different teams doing work that might overlap and compete against one another. On top of that, afaik flashy "new" products play better for promotions than building upon something that exists. Hence Play Music and Youtube Music, Android and Chrome OS, Google Play and Stadia, etc. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5b4nn3ZEVU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5b4nn3ZEVU

hiptobecubic 6y ago
Absolutely yes. Also Google has had an explosion of upper management (director and vp) and the way they battle for turf is like game of thrones.