While streaming isn’t the focus of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, it is an increasingly important part of the subscription service. Now, it looks like Microsoft is about to address one of xCloud’s biggest limits by upgrading streaming resolution to 1080p.
Expand Expanding Close
In the opinion of a lot of gamers, Xbox Game Pass and its xCloud streaming is the pinnacle of game streaming today, but it can be hard to see it that way when Microsoft’s offering lags behind on resolution, stream quality, and device support. Now, Microsoft is testing the ability to stream Xbox games through the browser, playing catchup with Stadia, GeForce Now, and Luna.
Expand Expanding Close
One of the bigger changes in the gaming world for 2020 was the rise of cloud gaming services like Google Stadia, GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, and Amazon Luna. Here are some fantastic controllers and accessories to upgrade your personal kit or to give to the Stadia or cloud gamer in your life.
Expand Expanding Close
The beauty of cloud gaming is the ability to play games on quite literally any device, but Microsoft’s xCloud offering hasn’t fulfilled the promise just yet. That’s going to change soon, though, as Microsoft is planning to add a web app for Xbox Game Pass, which uses the company’s xCloud streaming tech.
Expand Expanding Close
Earlier this year, Microsoft’s xCloud streaming graduated from a “preview” to a full-fledged part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Now Microsoft is looking to expand Xbox Game Pass Ultimate streaming to new countries like Brazil and Mexico, starting with another xCloud preview period.
Expand Expanding Close
After a few months in testing, Microsoft officially launched “Project xCloud” this week as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The cloud streaming service is live now on most Android devices, but Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Game Pass won’t arrive on Android TV anytime soon.
Expand Expanding Close
Earlier this year, Razer launched a fantastic new controller for almost all Android phones with the Nintendo Switch-esque Razer Kishi. Now Razer is rereleasing the Kishi with a new design optimized for Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud.
Expand Expanding Close
The next big step in gaming is game streaming, as evidenced by Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia launching competing services. As Project xCloud readies its launch in September, Microsoft is finally explaining the service’s pricing and its integration with Xbox Game Pass.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung has had a standing partnership with Microsoft, so today’s news shouldn’t come as any surprise. According to a report from WinFuture, the Galaxy Note 20 series will be marketing with Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming platform.
Expand Expanding Close
Microsoft is shutting down Mixer, its competitor to Twitch and YouTube Gaming, while moving both their partners and their xCloud game streaming service to Facebook Gaming.
Google Stadia is one of the first names people think of when it comes to game streaming, but a close second is Microsoft’s xCloud. Today, it’s been revealed that Microsoft plans to upgrade the backend of xCloud next year with hardware from the Xbox Series X.
Microsoft’s Xbox has been one of the dominant gaming platforms for a long time now, but times are changing and a lot of focus is shifting to cloud-based platforms. With just a few months to go until launching its next Xbox, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has said he views Google Stadia and Amazon as the company’s “main” competition.
Microsoft’s future competitor to Stadia, Project xCloud, has been expanding its capabilities over the past several months. The company has big ambitions for xCloud in 2020, and today, it’s announcing a new supported country with Canada.
While game streaming is a surprisingly full market, the two biggest rivals at the moment are Google Stadia and Microsoft’s Xbox One powered xCloud Preview. Today, Microsoft’s Project xCloud has added 15 more games to its library, including Stadia’s flagship title Destiny 2.
The cloud game streaming wars are set to hot up as right on the heels of Google Stadia we have gaming industry stalwart Microsoft offering the xCloud Preview — which doubles as cloud-based Xbox One console that is playable from your smartphone.
Google Stadia is set to launch next week, but missing features and a tiny launch list of games is hurting the platform’s debut. Today, Microsoft announced that its xCloud streaming service would debut in full next year and, as a kick to Stadia’s pants, the service just added 50 more games too.
Game streaming is poised to make some big changes to the industry over the next few years, and Google Stadia is helping to lead the charge. Now, Microsoft’s “Project xCloud” is accepting sign-ups for a public preview of the platform.