Cloud Gaming Supercomputer Starts Trials With Final Fantasy VII

A cloud-gaming platform is set to start a three-month trial in February which will let gamers play selected video games via the cloud, without the need for a console or dedicated gaming PC.

Shinra Technologies, in partnership with Japanese operator Nippon Telegraph and NTT East, along with internet services development company Techorus, have launched the cloud supercomputer which will see gamers able to access games such as Final Fantasy VII, Tomb Raider and Hitman: Absolution.

Beta will launch in the US this summer

The firm said: “Shinra’s technology is optimal when paired with a high-quality infrastructure, and ensuring the stability of the three-month technical beta in Japan is NTT East’s stable, high-speed optical fiber network and distribution system. Likewise, finding a partner well-versed in GPU rendering and optimisation is integral in enabling the high-spec visual fidelity of Shinra’s platform, and Techorus’ significant experience in this field makes them an excellent match.”

Shinra, which is the cloud arm of game developer Square Enix, says that it will launch a beta in the US in the Summer. The beta, which kicks of February 17, is limited to Japan.

Additionally, the beta test lets players get their hands on Space Sweeper, a new indie game showcasing the Shinra platform’s versatility in the form of an overhead, sprite-based, twin-stick MMO shooter that offers vast expanses of territory to conquer while blending mechanical simplicity with tactical depth.

Shinra Technologies President, Yoichi Wada, said: “In order to create new game experiences through revolutionary technologies, we need to fundamentally change everything about content, infrastructure and business models.”

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