What Is a Gaming Platform and How Does It Work?

But what is a gaming platform? What’s the best gaming platform? This article will answer all of your questions.

What is a Gaming Platform? 
First, we should get past some of the confusing definitions that come with defining gaming platforms. Technically a gaming platform is a piece of hardware or software through which you play video games. 
This means that your PC is a gaming platform. So is an Xbox, PlayStation, or any other gaming console. An arcade cabinet, mobile game, cellphone, or virtual reality helmet, would also technically be considered a gaming platform. 

What is a Gaming Platform Really?
The above definition is the definition you’ll find if you look up what a gaming platform is. However, any dedicated gamer knows that while that’s technically true, it’s not very accurate. 
Gaming platforms generally refer to online gaming platform software. Steam is a great example of a cloud gaming platform. So is Ichio. 

While yes, a video game console that you can buy and put in your home is a platform, the word console suits in more accurately. As does the term cabinet for an Arcade cabinet. 

However, the term platform is used to showcase how unique online gaming services are. 

On Steam, you can buy a bunch of games that are exclusive to Steam. On Ichio, you can buy games exclusive to Ichio. To call a computer or console a “gaming platform” is inaccurate because it’s reductive; it doesn’t let people know the plurality of options. 

Why Are Gaming Platforms So Great?
Gaming platforms are so great because they reduce costs. When a video game manufacturer does not have to print many copies of a disk, they save money. This means they can price the games more affordably. 
People have reacted to this, and the online gaming community has only grown over the past few years. Some gaming platforms even let you subscribe to them for a flat fee and play as many games as you want. In this way, it’s kind of like Netflix. 

Play Games On a Gaming Platform 
As you can see, the definition of a gaming platform is a bit hard to pin down. However, as soon as it clicks for you, you realize that it’s the future of gaming and the cheapest way to play.