What you need to know
- Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming only supports games from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, but this will change starting in November 2024.
- Xbox cloud gaming is finally available to purchase and own games outside of Game Pass, as confirmed in a thread from Xbox president Sarah Bond.
- However, you won’t have immediate access to the entire digital Xbox console game library, and the rollout will be gradual over the coming weeks and months.
Finally it happened. The long-awaited rollout of Xbox games for purchase in the cloud is scheduled for November 2024 (next month!), but there are some details worth knowing.
Microsoft first announced its long-term vision for Xbox cloud gaming in 2019, with the goal of moving the entire Xbox game catalog to the cloud. Since then we have been waiting incredible It took a long time to confirm the program’s launch window, but Xbox president Sarah Bond posted in a thread just yesterday that the plan was finally in place. However, this equation is still missing some details.
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So what’s going on with Xbox cloud gaming?
So what’s going on with Xbox cloud gaming?
In the thread above, Sarah Bond praised the US court for its recent ruling in the Google v. Epic case that forced Google to open up its app platform to third-party stores and product sales. Google Play’s policies prohibit the platform from selling content directly through its own apps. So, for example, you can no longer purchase Kindle books directly through the Kindle app on Android. But thanks to this US court ruling, that could change in the future.
For Xbox, this means Microsoft can start selling Xbox games directly in the US through its shiny new Xbox Android app. And while Google appears to be circumventing similar legislation in the EU in this regard, it won’t be long before the chip also applies to the EU. At this time, you can only play Xbox Game Pass Ultimate games on Xbox Cloud Gaming. But starting next month, you’ll also be able to create your own cloud library using games from the Xbox Store.
Related: Complete list of Xbox Game Pass games
In fact, one of the main questions I’ve had about this new feature so far is, “What about on iOS? What about outside of the US?”
Is Xbox Cloud Gaming Buy and Own available on iOS, PC, or outside the US?
Best devices for Xbox cloud gaming
First of all, for now, yes, our sources say that, at least initially, Android in the US will be the only version of the Xbox app with this new feature. Apple’s app platform is still (inexplicably) locked down, so don’t expect it on iOS. And Google could even reverse its previous decision on appeal. Google may find arbitrary subtle ways to kick the Xbox app out of the Google Play Store, as it did once when it disabled API keys for the YouTube app for Windows Phone.
Yes, this is also required xbox game pass ultimate How to access cloud gaming — Server infrastructure isn’t cheap to maintain. However, our sources suggest that Microsoft is still working on a cloud-only Xbox subscription plan in the future. But would you? need Is it an Android device?
Microsoft has added these features to Xbox.com/play Even on the web. So even if Google were to somehow prevent this feature, or even if you were unlucky enough to have an iPhone, you should still be able to access Xbox games via the web version. Additionally, the Xbox app on Amazon Fire Stick 4K ($29.99 at Amazon) devices and Samsung TVs that support Xbox Cloud Gaming is already based on the website, so this feature should also be enabled around the same time. Naturally, this feature may also be added to the Xbox app on PC.
Where is Xbox Cloud Gaming “Bring Your Own Games” available?
moreover, Even though Android in the US is the only version with this feature natively, the ability to play your own games via the cloud will roll out more broadly to the other Xbox Cloud Gaming Markets at Xbox.com/play. However, its exact schedule is unknown. Perhaps Microsoft will start in the US and expand to other markets over time.
You can find out if your region supports Xbox Cloud Gaming via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on the website xbox.com/regions. The current region list is:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden , Switzerland, UK and USA.
Will Xbox Cloud Gaming support all games from day one?
Another important thing to note is that Xbox Cloud Gaming is also available in the US. Does not support the entire library of games at launch. One reason is that some publishers simply intend to opt out, perhaps because they have exclusive deals with other services or because they are looking to build their own cloud platforms in the future. The other reason is more technical. Xbox’s cloud servers are based on Xbox hardware and optionally stream cloud title installations on the fly. I’ve previously heard that if you see a queue on Xbox Cloud Gaming, it may be due to the server node retrieving the game from network attached storage if it hasn’t been recently used by another player on that node. There is.
Previously, Xbox Game Pass was expected to have around 300 to 300 games available on Xbox’s cloud servers, but the company plans to expand that catalog to thousands and thousands of titles in the future. This requires potentially several terabytes of additional network-attached storage, so we expect deployments of existing Xbox cloud gaming libraries to be done in batches. This could be similar to NVIDIA GeForce Now announcing new games coming to the service from Steam as it cuts deals with license holders and expands its own storage facilities. yeah.
Yes, this rollout won’t give you instant access to your entire library at launch, but it’s still an important step toward a future where you can access all your Xbox games anytime, anywhere.
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The future of Xbox cloud
In a world where platform holders are trying to figure out where the next wave of growth will come from, cloud gaming appears to be a promising option. As physical media sales decline due to the popularity of digital platforms such as Steam and even iOS and Android, players are becoming increasingly cloud-based and digital. People now just expect their content to be available as they move between devices, and that’s certainly the world the next generation of potential consumers have grown up in.
Related: Xbox cloud gaming requirements and setup
Xbox is hoping to be ahead of the curve in this nascent market, but big challenges remain. Xbox cloud gaming, and cloud gaming in general, relies heavily on your network. Even if you have plenty of bandwidth coming in, you’ll need to make sure you’re running 5 GHz Wi-Fi, and possibly Ethernet, for the best experience. Not everyone is willing to accommodate the requirements associated with cloud gaming. Considering Microsoft is targeting people who are casual enough to not want to own a console. At allConsidering the technical complexity of home network optimization, there is certainly a gap to be filled. Most enthusiasts have already bought an Xbox Series I’m wondering if you have one.
Still, I’m all for it, even if “the cloud” becomes just another way for core users to access Xbox content. We don’t know if Xbox cloud gaming will deliver the new user base Xbox hopes for, but technological advances in Wi-Fi and mobile networks could close the accessibility gap. In order for Microsoft to become even more popular, it is important that Microsoft can enter the market. And I think they already have pretty big power there. This would be a great addition to save storage on your Xbox handheld…that’s for sure.
