Xbox Cloud Gaming (formerly known as xCloud) is Microsoft’s gaming service on the “cloud” platform. Xbox Cloud Gaming is offered to Ultimate subscribers at no additional cost. Total of 276 games supported on Xbox.
Xbox Cloud Gaming
Xbox’s Cloud Gaming (formerly known as Project XCloud) is Microsoft’s Xbox cloud gaming service. Originally released in beta in November 2019, the service was later launched to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on September 15, 2020. Xbox Game Pass cloud games were made available. Granted to Ultimate subscribers for free.
Development
Microsoft introduced the service at E3 2018 and officially announced Project xCloud a few months later, in October 2018. They demonstrated the service in March 2019 with the mobile racing game Forza Horizon 4. Android smartphone with Xbox One controller.
Xbox head Phil Spencer used a private server during this time to test the game on a remote connection. The service entered in-home testing in May 2019, when it can be used outside of a lab environment. It was publicly tested late and announced at E3 2019.
Also Read: Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming Fortnite is resurrected on iPhone and Android Without installation
Microsoft says that its library of Xbox content will make its service more appealing than competitors like Stadia. The hardware at launch used Xbox One S-based blade servers, but the move to Xbox Series X-based servers will begin in June 2021. Each server initially has four Xbox One S custom-based units.
Above for the 2018 trailer, but this was doubled to 8 per server in a 2U enclosure for the service’s launch in 2019. Compared to the standard Xbox One S, power consumption has been reduced by 30% through throttling processor-specific power. Video output is set at 120 Hz to reduce latency.
Tests of the service began in October 2019, and as of November 2019, the service hosts 50 games, with experimental support for iOS mobile devices by Apple Inc. and for Sony Interactive Entertainment DualShock controllers.
- On February 12, 2020, Project xCloud launched on Apple’s mobile operating system in a preview version.
- On May 5, 2020, Project xCloud arrived in Spain (Europe) in preview (Live Video).
Microsoft released Xbox Cloud Gaming across 21 countries in North America and Europe, as well as in South Korea, on September 15, 2020 for select Android devices, with support for over 150 games at launch.
| The internet speed requirements for the Xbox Cloud Gaming service are as follows: | Minimum requirements | Optimal experience and better quality |
| Upload bandwidth | at least 4.75 Mbps | 9 Mbps or more |
| Latency | less than or equal to 125 ms | less than 60 milliseconds |
Possibility
Cloud games are available in the following 22 countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal Spain, Slovakia, Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States. By 2020, Microsoft plans to add more countries over time. As of November 2020, Microsoft started accepting applications from users to participate in the preview test in other countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Japan.
Games library
Xbox Series X backward compatibility allows xCloud to retain its existing Xbox game library while adding new games from Xbox Series X. Xbox Game Pass library currently lists 276 cloud-enabled games. The list includes Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Destiny 2, Forza Horizon 4, The Outer Worlds, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was the first game to support full touch controls. Touch controls have been added to 85 other games.
Microsoft has introduced cloud play support for select original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles with a backward compatibility program starting in March 2021 with 16 titles available. Players can use cloud-based saved games from their initial release if they already use that service as part of Xbox Live Gold. Some games also support full-fledged touch controls when playing on mobile devices.