When I co-founded Playbase with Arthur, I wasn’t coming from the world of traditional creative agencies. Before that, I was the CTO of a cloud computing company. I spent some time working on distributed architectures, GPU deployments, real-time video... basically, all the core technologies that power the cloud today.

And that experience gave me a real edge when we set out to build Playbase into an agency truly aligned with the challenges of the video game industry. Wireframes and pretty mockups weren’t going to cut it. We had to get into the real world, understand what players actually experience in-game and for that cloud computing was the key.

🌩 Cloud gaming is way more than just game streaming

At its core, cloud gaming is a pretty hefty stack of technologies:

GPU servers designed for real-time 3D rendering

We’re talking about machines equipped with GPUs like NVIDIA A10 or A100, capable of running AAA games at full throttle in the cloud. And it’s not just about raw power — everything needs to be scalable, stable, and secure.

Ultra-low latency video protocols

This is where things get tricky. For the player to feel like they’re playing “locally,” the stream has to deliver at least 60 fps, in HD or even 4K, with less than 40 ms latency from input to rendering to streaming. This relies on technologies like WebRTC, H.265, AV1, or highly optimized proprietary stacks.

Data centers in the right locations

Latency also depends on geography. If your tester is in Lyon and the server is in Dublin or Frankfurt, that’s fine. But if they’re in Montreal and your infrastructure is in Singapore… good luck. Network proximity is crucial.

Why we built exclusive partnerships in Europe

Thanks to my background as a CTO, I was able to speak on equal footing with cloud providers. And that allowed us to build strong partnerships with European players who truly understand our specific needs.

Customization and control

We didn’t want a locked-down service like GeForce Now. What we needed was:

• Full control over the builds we deploy

• Configurable sessions (duration, specs, resolution, UX overlays)

• Integration of our own behavioral tracking and analytics tools

Security, confidentiality, NDA-friendly

We work with studios testing unannounced games. Zero leaks allowed. Our cloud partners give us:

• Isolated virtual machines

• Secure, time-limited access for each tester

• Full traceability of who did what, when, and where

Network proximity = better UX

By partnering with providers who have data centers in France, Germany, or the Netherlands, we can guarantee minimal latency for our testers — which means more credible UX tests, with feedback that reflects real-world gameplay conditions.

Flexibility and technical collaboration

Most importantly, these aren’t just vendors — they work with us. Together, we build:

• Custom UX dashboards

• Tailored test workflows

• Isolated multiplayer environments

What this changes for UX at Playbase

With this technical foundation, we’re able to offer our clients:

• Frictionless user testing (just one link — no installs)

• Accurate gameplay insights gathered under real-world conditions

• Fast iteration cycles, since every new version is instantly accessible in the cloud

We’re not doing UX tests in PowerPoint. We’re testing actual games, in real gameplay contexts — and delivering clear, actionable recommendations based on real user behavior.