Our Vision For Parsec And The Product We’re Building

By Benjy Boxer

We believe that we’re entering a new phase of computing. One where both software and processing are delivered via shared computing resources in the cloud. Our vision for Parsec is to eliminate computer hardware and free everyone from the constant upgrade cycles required to keep up with the latest software.

This is Only Possible Due To A Confluence Of Industry-wide Changes

We’re applying our technology to making PC gaming more accessible and available from anywhere. As of right now, we can deliver an almost native experience for practically every use-case for your computer. Our goal is to continue to push our technology to the point that it feels as close to a native experience as possible. Parsec is the benefactor of an entire industry investing in chips, compression, bandwidth, and cloud infrastructure. Everything happening across the technology industry is enabling this opportunity. The proliferation of inexpensive ASIC encoders along with advancements in GPUs make it possible for almost any device built after 2012 to run our software. H.264 and the forthcoming H.265 compression algorithms are making video delivery faster and less expensive while increasing quality.

The FCC has mandated that broadband must achieve 25 Mbps to qualify as “Advanced Broadband.” They recently found that 83% of the US population (92% of the urban population) have access to Advanced Broadband. Even with the progress being made, the United States still ranks quite low relative to other countries broadband access. Finally, the proliferation of cloud technology (data centers, Points of Presence, investments in hardware, and declining prices) is making it possible to distribute and scale powerful machines for everyone.

This is like the moment Skype launched. Skype was successful because it was the right momentum to launch VOIP with the proliferation of sound cards, microphones, and improvements in bandwidth globally.

Why Gaming?

We’re applying this technology to the PC gaming industry. Today, PC gamers spend close to $1,500 to access a middle-tier gaming PC — it’s still way too difficult to get into gaming. Additionally, these gaming PCs are not mobile and require gamers to sit in one spot to enjoy the endless entertainment of gaming. As video card makers push the technology further and content producers create better games, people continue to upgrade their computers. The graph below of actual Amazon purchases shows this — people change their behavior and buy the newer, more expensive cards when they become available.

Today, we’re releasing Parsec, allowing people to start playing their favorite game without investing in hardware. Gamers who own hardware can now remotely access their PCs via the internet or local area network to play games on-the-go. Finally, we’re also allowing gamers to share their PC with friends. With Parsec, you and your friends can co-play on the same PC and pass the controller back-and-forth with one click, or you can let your friends try a new game without investing in the hardware to do it.

We’re going to continue to push the envelope on reducing latency and increasing the quality of the experience we support. But, as we start this journey, we’re going to continue to build a product with a goal to eliminate the unnecessary ownership and upgrading of powerful computers.

Check out our product here, and let us know your thoughts!