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If you have followed us for any amount of time, you’ve likely heard us talk about how much we love Google’s 4K Chromecast w/Google TV. We’re even fans of the affordable alternatives like the $20 4K streamer for Walmart’s in-house brand onn. Make no mistake, the mighty little Chromecast offers a ton of features in an affordable, lightweight package and it’s the perfect accessory to turn any TV into the ultimate entertainment hub.
That said, I have some thoughts as to why Google needs to consider expanding its popular streaming hardware to take advantage of an entirely different market that’s not currently served by the existing Chromecast user base – GAMERS. Bear with me. Hopefully, it will all make sense when we arrive at the end of this journey.
In its current form, the Chromecast doesn’t really need a whole lot of improvement. While there are rumors of a new Chromecast w/Google TV in the works, I wouldn’t expect much more than an updated processor and hopefully, a little more storage. At the very least, an easier, more user-friendly way to expand said storage. No, the existing Chromecast devices server their purpose very well.
What I’m talking about is a free-standing gaming station that can not only take full advantage of streaming platforms such as GeForce Now but are also capable of playing the most popular Android games on a big screen with controller support. Google has leaned heavily into gaming over the past couple of years. Even after the untimely demise of our beloved Stadia, Google appears to have doubled down on going after a wide swath of casual gamers. Chromebooks can stream some of the latest and greatest big name titles from a variety of services and soon, you will be able to play practically any game available from Steam’s massive library. Granted, you’ll need the beefiest Chromebook you can buy to play high-end games but still, Google is clearly gunning for gamers.
That covers the desktop game end of the spectrum but let’s not forget, Google owns Android. While most of us are content playing our Play Store games on our Android phone, there is definitely a market for mobile games on the big screen. Don’t believe me? I present to you the NVIDIA Shield. Perhaps you aren’t familiar with NVIDIA’s 4K Android TV box but I assure you, the nearly 4-year old, $199 box has an almost cult-like following and to this day, there really isn’t another mass-produced device like it.
Now, given Google’s deepening ties with NVIDIA, I really feel that this space is prime for the folks at Alphabet to work with the game-centric hardware maker and strike while the iron is hot. Keep making the current Chromecasts? Absolutely. For general consumers, the Chromecast w/Google TV is all you need for all your streaming and even cloud-gaming needs. For gamers, however, Google should look to NVIDIA for guidance and produce a powerful Android TV box that’s geared towards those that want the big screen experience for their favorite Android titles.
Would a NVIDIA/Google Android TV be a blockbuster seller? Probably not but the fact that the Shield is still readily available tells me that there’s definitely a market for it. Personally, I’d love to see a NVIDIA-branded Android TV box from Google that includes not just a remote but a controller like the older Shield models did. Gamers could easily access and play games from GeForce Now but on the flip side, a device with ample storage, RAM and a beefy processor would be a great update to the aging Shield and a welcome addition to the Chromecast ecosystem.
That’s my two cents. Google, if you’re listening, I’d love to chat more about this. If this is already on the road map, thank you and disregard my rambling.
