AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 adds game streaming from anywhere

Game streaming is a hot topic in the industry today but not everyone may be convinced that cloud-based game streaming like Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud are the way to go. Some might prefer to have more direct control by owning and running the games themselves while still having the freedom to do it anywhere. That is exactly what AMD is putting on the table with the Adrenalin 2020 Edition of its Radeon Desktop Software bringing untethered remote access to PC games, provided you have the bandwidth to use.

AMD Link isn't exactly new and already allowed some form of game streaming since last year. It was, however, limited to streaming games from a PC with a Radeon graphics card in the same local Wi-Fi network as the mobile device. This may be good for gaming on the bed or on a couch but not exactly for on-the-go consumption.

The latest update changes that a bit by allowing PC gamers to truly enjoy their freedom anywhere. The only requirement, other than the Radeon GPU and 2020 Radeon Software, is that the PC is connected to the Internet. Of course, you'll be at the mercy of your ISP's bandwidth and caps but you are in full control and won't have to buy games a second time, one for local and one for the cloud.

That's not the only thing coming to the AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Editiona. A new user interface is being introduced, one that you can also bring up in-game at a press of a keyboard shortcut. The desktop software lets you collect and launch your games all in one place, regardless if they have their own game launcher.

With AMD's new Link capability, it joins a growing number of companies using a different approach to PC gaming on the go. That includes Samsung's PlayGalaxy Link and rumors of Valve's Steam Remote Link. Of course, graphics card makers like AMD and NVIDIA will prefer to go this route as it puts them at the center of game streaming rather than in the background.