Thanks to the partnership, Emerge (ASX: EM1) can leverage Microsoft’s highly-scalable Azure cloud platform, removing the need to purchase expensive server and GPU infrastructure that would otherwise be needed to stream high quality games and content.
Microsoft Azure is offered on a pay-as-you-use basis, opening the doors for Emerge and its distribution partners to offer a gaming cloud streaming solution that’s also commercially feasible.
A handful of companies such as Google and Nvidia have already launched game cloud streaming products into the market with limited success as they struggle for user adoption and commercial viability. Emerge CEO Gregory Stevens says the key to game streaming is the quality of service, content and price for end users.
“Developing the game cloud streaming with Microsoft as a partner gives Emerge a unique advantage of scalable access to hardware to deliver high quality streaming services to the end user,” said Stevens. “To add to this, with Microsoft we have demonstrated that a more affordable price offering to the end user is feasible.”
While earning its ISV status is a huge milestone for Emerge, the company is already looking ahead, and has confirmed it is in talks with Microsoft to transition to a formal co-sell arrangement. This would see Emerge sell its cloud streaming technology alongside Microsoft’s infrastructure to mobile network operators, PayTV providers and other content delivery networks to achieve massive scale for the product.
Following its established strategy, a co-sell partnership would prioritise emerging markets in lock-step with Microsoft’s own roll-out strategy for Azure.
At the moment, Microsoft Azure services are available in 61 countries, with five more African and Middle East countries coming soon. These markets account for approximately 475 million subscribers, and with a presence already established in Africa with Emerge’s MTN Arena mobile gaming platform, Emerge is making itself one to look out for as cloud gaming adoption continues.
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