Samsung launches free mobile cloud gaming platform for Galaxy devices

Samsung has launched a free mobile gaming platform for its Galaxy devices in North America.

The mobile phone manufacturer has been testing the streaming service in a beta since last year with a game launcher app that has now been renamed Samsung Gaming Hub.

23 games will be available at launch, including free-to-play hits like Monopoly Go, Candy Crush Saga, Homescapes and Honor of Kings.

All games will be freely available, according to Jong Woo, Samsung’s vice president and head of gaming services GamesIndustry.biz: “Unlike other cloud services, there is no content locked behind a paywall and no monthly subscriptions for users to access these games via our cloud streaming technology.”

Games are accessed via links distributed via Galaxy Store listings, Samsung Gaming Hub or advertisements. The Galaxy Store, which is preinstalled on all Samsung cell phones and tablets, serves as the runtime client.

Samsung claims that 50% of players who clicked on a mobile cloud game ad or listing during the beta went on to play the linked title.

Woo added that he believes the lack of friction that cloud gaming offers without the need for downloads will help Samsung “significantly change the way game publishers scale their mobile games.”

The electronics company is already venturing into the cloud gaming space through its smart TVs through a key partnership with Xbox, as well as other services like Boosteroid.

A game streaming service for PCs and select Galaxy hardware called PlayGalaxy Link was previously experimented with, but it was canceled before launch.