Microsoft’s Xbox streaming device reportedly arriving within a year, Chromecast-like form factor

Ben Schoon | May 6 2022 - 1:44 pm PT

Microsoft’s ambitions in cloud gaming so far have largely been limited to mobile and building on the console experience, but the company hasn’t been shy about a future where it sells Xbox hardware that relies fully on streaming. Now, we might finally have a timeline for the first Xbox streaming device.

A report from GamesBeat this week claims that Microsoft is set to release the first Xbox streaming device “in the next 12 months.” This comes nearly a year after Microsoft first hinted at this intention.

The report mentions that this Xbox streaming device will have a “puck” form factor, something along the lines of Google’s Chromecast or similar streaming devices from Amazon and Roku. The device would be primarily focused on streaming games from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, but would apparently also support movie and TV streaming services.

Whenever this device makes its debut, it would be the first time Xbox Game Streaming, also known as “xCloud,” would be available on the TV officially outside of Microsoft’s own consoles. The Android app technically works on Android TV OS, but with very limited compatibility and plenty of bugs.

This report also claims that Microsoft is working with Samsung to bring an Xbox app to the company’s Tizen-powered TVs. Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now also announced Samsung apps earlier this year. Apparently, the Samsung app will also debut sometime within the next year.

According to Tom Warren, and as also mentioned in the GamesBeat report, this new “puck” is a part of Microsoft’s “Xbox Everywhere” initiative. Apparently, this also involves xCloud adding support for more markets, games, and devices. He also suggests that Microsoft will allow players to stream Xbox games they own through xCloud, something that isn’t possible today. Currently, the only games you can stream through xCloud are those available through Xbox Game Pass, as well as the recent addition of Fortnite.

Notably, though, this timeline isn’t exactly new. Over a year ago, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer said that this product would arrive “in the next 12 months” and that he didn’t “think anything is going to stop us from doing that.”