What streaming video game services from Google mean for the Sony-Microsoft console wars

Talk of console wars has dominated video games for years.

There are gamers who swear by the benefits of playing in front of a keyboard and mouse on a custom-built PC, while others prefer the convenience and ubiquity of consoles like the Xbox and Playstation.

Those console brands, in particular, have become powerhouses in the world of at-home gaming.

Microsoft sold 30 million units of the Xbox One console between its release in November 2013 and the end of 2017, according to IHS Markit. Sony sold 73 million PlayStation 4 consoles that same time period.

But there's a new player in the game: streaming video game platforms. You could play from anywhere, on any device, any time. And you don't need to worry about your hardware becoming obsolete.

Google's Stadia, Microsoft's Project xCloud, and Nvidia's GeForce Now make it easy to play top-tier games without a console or PC. The subscription-based services stream video games from high-end gaming machines through the cloud.

But these services also have some major challenges to overcome before they can fully take on consoles.

Watch the video to learn more about how streaming services are trying to take on the likes of Microsoft and Sony.