Walmart Allegedly Wants In On Cloud-Based Game Streaming As Well

It seems that everyone wants in on the game streaming market of late. Reports have indicated that Verizon wants into the game streaming segment, as does Amazon. Start-ups like VectorDash have announced game streaming services that leverage unused GPU power from crypto-mining rigs recently as well. And of course Google unveiled plans for its Stadia game streaming at GDC 2019 this week. Today, a new report claims that retail giant Walmart is looking at getting into game streaming as well.

The report comes from USGamer, claiming that multiple sources familiar with Walmart's plans have noted that the retail giant is looking into its own streaming game platform. The unnamed sources cited are very scant on details of the alleged game streaming service, giving no insight into timing. However, Walmart has allegedly been involved in negotiations with developers and publishers since earlier in 2019 and talks are said to have been ongoing during GDC 2019.

Secrecy surrounding talks have left no indication of how far along the retail juggernaut is with the service. However, the sources claim that the game streaming space is a segment that Walmart intends to move into. The rise of Amazon has pressed Walmart to try and expand beyond its primary retail sales model. Walmart has also been adding more tech to augment its brick and mortar sales with app integration, grocery delivery, and an extensive website that offers its wares and pairs shoppers with third-party sellers, just as Amazon does.

Walmart has made overtures into video streaming in the past, to compete with Netflix and chose to stay out of that market. Perhaps seeing the massive success of streaming services from Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, Walmart doesn't want to miss out on the budding cloud-powered game streaming market. Of course the company thus far has made no public announcement of its intention for any such service.