This morning Microsoft has announced its most recent gaming initiative, Project xCloud. Allowing you to experience console-quality games on your smartphone or tablet, the new service is one of the most ambitious attempts at bringing game-streaming to the market. Head below to get all the details.
One of the Nintendo Switch’s biggest selling points has been the ability to play home console style titles just about anywhere. Today’s announcement from Microsoft channels a similar focus. But rather than debuting a mobile companion to its Xbox One systems, the company is taking an entirely different approach.
Microsoft’s Project xCloud will give just about any internet connected device the power to play console games. That means you’ll be able to hop into titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Assassin’s Creed Odyssey just by firing up an app on your iPhone. This certainly isn’t the first service of its kind to bring game streaming to smartphones and the like. But Microsoft has set out to make it the most unique. The service is based around custom Xbox hardware which Microsoft has paired with an Azure cloud backend.
Players will have a few styles of gameplay input available. Finicky touch controls will offer a more traditional experience for smartphone gamers. Microsoft has luckily also allowed you to pair an Xbox controller to your device in order to enjoy the games as you normally would on a console.
Specific features like what frame rates you can expect to experience as well as gameplay resolution and more have yet to be announced. There’s also no telling on which titles you’ll be able to dive into.
Microsoft’s press release makes it seem like just about any Xbox One title will work with the service, as “no additional work” will be required to bring games to the platform. That, alongside many other unanswered questions will be up to Microsoft to address in the future.
Microsoft hasn’t said too much in terms of when you’ll be able to get your game on while on-the-go. Public trials will go live sometime in 2019. Also, next generation Xbox hardware is certainly the works. So Project xCloud will most likely go hand-in-hand with the new release.
I’ve never really sought out game streaming services in the past, but Project xCloud looks to be an intriguing release. If Microsoft plays things right and the service truly does end up offering a console-quality experience from your smartphone, it’ll definitely draw in Nintendo and PS4 gamers.
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