LG Uplus has head start in the race in 5G game streaming market

[Photo provided by LG Uplus Corp.]

LG Uplus Corp. is rapidly expanding its presence in the 5G network-based cloud gaming market in partnership with Nvidia, the world’s leader in visual computing technology, at a time online game demand is on upswing as safe pastime amid virus pandemic.

Cloud gaming refers to online gaming that allows users to play a game remotely from a cloud by using servers and streams. LG Uplus became the first wireless carrier that launch a cloud gaming service dubbed GeForce NOW in January.

The mobile carrier began offering the service free of charge to the users who subscribed to its 5G service last month as part of a ‘lock-in’ strategy to retain customers. GeForce NOW will also be available at internet protocol TV (IPTV) platforms starting Thursday, enabling users to play a game on any screens such as smartphones, PCs, tablets and TVs.

GeForce NOW supports more than 200 games including League of Legends, the most played video game in the world, Assassin’s Creed, Dark Souls 3 and Witcher 3. The number of users almost quintupled last month from March, with GeForce NOW Basic service alone drawing 30,000 pre-orders.

The number of subscribers exceeded 50,000 this month, and the users were estimated to have spent 150 percent more time on playing games through the service compared with April.

Korean wireless carriers began entering the game streaming market in the second half of last year to take advantage of the 5G network services that were commercialized for the first time in the world in the country. SK Telecom that joined hands with Microsoft is test running xCloud, the tech giant’s game streaming solution that allows gamers to play Xbox games from a cloud. The service will be officially launched in the third quarter, according to industry sources. KT is working with Taiwan’s cloud gaming specialist Ubitus.

Foreign-based tech behemoths are also rushing into the market. Industry sources said Google that released its cloud gaming service Stadia in November last year plans to provide it to the Korean market next year. Amazon that launched Crucible, its first big-budget online game since Amazon Game Studios was formed in 2012, will also roll out another game New World in August as part of its plan to offer a game-streaming service.

Cloud gaming is one of the three 5G-related businesses that LG Uplus is pouring investments along with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) under the leadership of vice chairman Ha Hyun-hoi. He met with Jensen Huang, co-founder and chief executive of Nvidia in September last year to establish partnership.

LG Uplus will expand cooperation with domestic game publishers including NCSoft and PearlAbyss in the second half.

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