How to play games on Chromebook

Platforms, such as William Antonelli/Insider; Microsoft; Arc System Works, let Chromebooks support a range of popular cloud games

Ava Brooks - Dec 24, 2023

An undated image displaying the preview of game Call of Duty on a screen. — Unsplash

If you’re a Chromebook owner who’s prone to get his hands on any sort of game, then brace to be welcomed by a plethora of popular titles your Chromebook can smoothly support.

Are Chromebooks good for gaming?

But be aware of a considerable hiccup: Chromebooks aren't made to keep up with high-end games. The top-notch model of a Chromebook, designed primarily for gaming, like the Acer 516 GE, brings low-class graphics cards which makes the device lag comply with most modern games.

While the gaming library doesn’t entail a wide array of titles, there exists a great truckload of some great games available. All you need to do is find them, and how to get the most out of your hardware.

How to play cloud games on a Chromebook

Since Chromebooks don't come with pre-installed gaming apps, you can use two of your Chromebook's apps to find and play various games: Google Chrome and the Google Play Store.

But Gad Insider dedicates this article solely to how you can play cloud games on your Chromebook using Google Chrome: the best way to play games on a Chromebook.

How to play cloud games on Chromebook using Google Chrome

You can some well known games with charming graphics from within Google Chrome because services like Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna let Chromebooks do so regardless of the capabilities of their hardware.

Games you play on the cloud run on a powerful computer a server remotely located somewhere, and the visuals you see are a video being streamed from that computer to your screen.

All you need is an internet connection to receive the video and a keyboard or controller to send your inputs.

This is the best way to play new, high-end games on a Chromebook. This includes titles like Fortnite, Valorant, Overwatch, Minecraft, and Forza Horizon 5 — a nigh countless number of great games, with more being added all the time.

Cloud gaming platforms — such as William Antonelli/Insider; Microsoft; Arc System Works — enable you to play games your Chromebook might not support normally.

Cost of cloud gaming

Cloud gaming also requires a monthly subscription, which costs money. Xbox Game Pass' Cloud Gaming feature requires an "Ultimate' subscription, which starts at $17 a month.

Nvidia GeForce Now and Amazon Luna both start at $10 a month, although GeForce Now also offers a free tier that lets you play for only one hour at a time.