Getting into Gaming as a Service? Cloud gaming provider Blacknut has released a new platform for content providers that’s powered by Supermicro and Radian Arc.
This comprehensive edge and cloud architecture provides content providers worldwide with bundled and fully managed game licensing, in-depth content metadata and a global hybrid-cloud solution.
If you’re not into gaming yet, you might want to be. Interactive entertainment and game streaming are on the rise.
Last year, an estimated 30 million paying users spent a combined $2.4 billion on cloud gaming services, according to research firm Newzoo. Looking ahead, Newzoo expects this revenue to more than triple by 2025, topping $8 billion. That would make the GaaS market an attractive investment for content providers.
What’s more, studies show that Gen Z consumers (aged 11 to 26 years old) spend over 12 hours a week playing video games. That’s more time than they spend watching TV, by about 30 minutes a week.
Paradigm shift
This data could signal a paradigm shift that challenges the dominance of traditional digital entertainment. That could include subscription video on demand (SVOD) such as Netflix as well as content platforms including ISPs, device manufacturers and media companies.
To help content providers capture younger, more tech-savvy consumers, Blacknut, Supermicro and Radian Arc are lending their focus to deploying a fully integrated GaaS platform. Blacknut, based in France, offers cloud-based gaming. Australia-based Radian Arc provides digital infrastructure and cloud game technology.
The system offers IT hardware solutions at the edge and the core, system management software and extensive IP. Blacknut’s considerable collection includes a catalog of over 600 AAA to indie games.
Blacknut is also providing white-glove services that include:
- Onboard games wish lists and help establishing exclusive publisher agreements
- Support for Bring Your Own Game (BYOG) and freemium game models
- Assistance with the development of IP-licensed games designed in partnership with specialized studios
- Marketing support to help providers develop go-to-market plans and manage subscriber engagement
The tech behind GaaS
Providers of cloud-based content know all too well the challenge of providing customers with high-availability, low-latency service. The right technology is a carefully choreographed ballet of hybrid cloud infrastructure, modern edge architecture and the IT expertise required to make it all run smoothly.
At the edge, Blacknut’s GaaS offering operates on Radian Arc’s GPU Edge Infrastructure-as-a-Service platform powered by Supermicro GPU Edge Infrastructure solutions.
These hardware solutions include flexible GPU servers featuring 6 to 8 directly attached GPUs and AMD EPYC processors. Also on board are cloud-optimized, scalable management servers and feature-rich ToR networking switches.
Combined with Blacknut’s public and private cloud infrastructure, an impressive array of hardware and software solutions come together. These can create new ways for content providers to quickly roll out their own cloud-gaming products and capture additional market share.
Going global
The Blacknut GaaS platform is already live in 45 countries and is expanding via distribution partnerships with over-the-top providers and carriers.
The solution can also be pre-embedded in set-top boxes and TV ecosystems. Indeed, it has already found its way onto such marquis devices as Samsung Gaming Hub, LG Gaming Shelf and Amazon FireTV.
To learn more about the Blacknut GaaS platform powered by Radian Arc and Supermicro, check out this new solution brief: