With handheld video game systems such as the Steam Deck becoming increasingly popular in the mainstream, streaming has been making gradual steps forward with them. The concept and technology behind cloud or remote game streaming are still in their infancy but are rather impressive where they're at now.
Essentially all the higher-end gaming platforms (PlayStation, Xbox, PC) have several apps and subscriptions between them worth looking into to take advantage of these exciting new features.
Xbox Cloud Gaming (Via Game Pass Ultimate)
The overall Xbox brand's best-value feature is its Game Pass service. For a competitive monthly fee, players can access a plethora of games and are accessible through their Xbox consoles and PCs as well. To benefit from this, players will need to subscribe to the Game Pass Ultimate tier (which also grants access to both Xbox and PC versions of Game Pass).
From there, games from the service can be streamed onto compatible devices, including the likes of Android and iOS smartphones and tablets in addition to modern computers.
Moonlight
For many current fans of the service and ones just now hopping on board, the Moonlight PC game streaming client comes with something of a bittersweet note. For many years now, this open-source client was the go-to method for streaming any kind of game on a PC to a smartphone, tablet, or compatible handheld game system running on Android, and free of charge to boot.
It's extremely well-rounded in terms of usability, but with the recent announcement that Nvidia is shutting down its GameStream functionality (which Moonlight relies on), it won't be around for much longer. At the very least, users can enjoy Moonlight until Nvidia shuts down its aforementioned service in February 2023.
PlayStation Now (Via PS Plus Premium)
Even though PlayStation doesn't have a direct competitor to the likes of Xbox Game Pass, the former does have its own cloud game streaming service in the form of PlayStation Now. Before, this service was a standalone subscription, but ever since the company expanded its PS Plus model to include higher tiers and more benefits, PlayStation Now has been folded into the Premium tier.
This is an on-demand service that, similar to Game Pass, gets new games rotated every month ranging from the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 console generations. For the time being, though, this feature of PS Plus Premium is limited to streaming onto PS4, PS5, and PC only in certain cases.
Xbox Remote Play
On the other side of the coin, Microsoft uses the Xbox Remote Play feature for its consoles. As with PlayStation, this app allows players to stream their collection of games straight from their Xbox One, Series X, or Series S onto a PC, phone, or tablet.
So long as players have a stable and fast Wi-Fi connection, the remote play function of the Xbox app offers an excellent way to manage and play their console catalog on their device of choice. Players, of course, will also need a wireless Xbox controller with Bluetooth capabilities to play. This platform isn't exactly known for its depth of exclusives, but it's a good way for newcomers to get the most out of Xbox titles.
Steam Link
Though it isn't as flexible as what Nvidia GeForce NOW offers, Steam Link is another solid remote play choice for PC gamers. Alongside the help of a reliable Wi-Fi connection, will give players another solid option for accessing their surely vast library of Steam games. It's unfortunately not the greatest remote app for playing games outside of that, though, the Steam Link app is free.
This can help make the Steam Deck an even more useful gaming handheld, as it can offer seamless access to these games without taking up storage. However, this app can also be used on any other compatible handhelds, including Android-based devices.
Amazon Luna
It's an admittedly far more niche game streaming platform, but considering the value that an Amazon Prime membership provides outside of gaming, the company's Luna service is still worth mentioning. At the base level, users can get Amazon Luna with no extra charge to stream a handful of added games monthly on Amazon Fire TVs, PCs, and iOS devices.
But to get the most from it, it would be in players' best interest to get an additional Luna+ or Ubisoft+ subscription, as it noticeably expands the selection of games available from Prime's complementary version of the service. In addition, it's also best for players to use Luna with Amazon's corresponding game controller, as its gamepad-specific Wi-Fi connection allows for much lower input latency.
PSPlay
Coincidentally, the official Sony PS Remote Play app isn't the only compatible remote streaming service for PlayStation consoles. The third-party PSPlay app is another option and, to many users, is regarded as more capable than the first-party version. This app is a paid one, but only requires a one-time ~$6.00 purchase to use and access its full features.
For one, players can choose from their favorite game console controller of choice to play, better input latency, general stream quality, and customization options to tweak the streaming settings to their liking.
PS Remote Play
Outside of cloud game streaming specifically, remote streaming is another worthwhile option for prospective gamers. These kinds of apps/services help make the home consoles they already own that much more versatile, effectively turning their PlayStation or Xbox consoles into remote handhelds.
In Sony's case, there's the official PS Remote Play app to use with a fast Wi-Fi connection and DualShock 4 (PS4) or DualSense (PS5) controller. With this, players can stream their games from their PS4 or PS5 onto a PC, phone, or tablet. This is a great new way to play some of PlayStation's greatest catalog of exclusives.
Nvidia GeForce NOW
For dedicated PC gamers, GPU manufacturer Nvidia has one of the best cloud gaming services available in the form of Nvidia GeForce NOW, as long as they have an Nvidia-brand graphics card. With this service, players can gain access to their PC library of games not just on Steam, but on the Epic Games Store and GOG storefronts as well.
Nvidia GeForce NOW has a free entry-level tier, but it is unfortunately quite restricted and even limits players to 1-hour-long sessions and waiting in queues to play. From there, though, there are higher performance tiers for $10-20 per month.