After several months of limited beta testing, Microsoft today is officially launching the public and open beta of its new Xbox Cloud Gaming Platform. This includes support in Safari on iPhone and iPad for playing a subset of Xbox Game Pass games by streaming them from the cloud.
As first announced in an Xbox blog post, Microsoft has officially debuted its new Xbox web interface for accessing the public beta of Xbox Cloud Gaming. The website touts that you can play “over 100 high-quality console games” directly in your browser with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and a compatible controller.
Project xCloud was the name of our public technology preview for cloud gaming that began in September 2019. After gathering feedback from players from around the world during the preview, we built the technology into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate so you can play over 100 Xbox console games on the devices you already have, directly from the cloud. Xbox Game Streaming (Preview) Play Xbox games on your Android phone or tablet with the Xbox Game Streaming app. Stream over Wi-Fi or your cellular network. Enjoy console-quality games like Gears 5 and Sea of Thieves directly from the cloud with Project xCloud (Preview). Or, stream Xbox One games installed on your console with the Xbox Console. Xbox Cloud Gaming is our technology that allows you to play over 100 console games on the devices you already have with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and a compatible controller. As part of your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, you can enjoy the console games you love, the people you want to play together with, on the devices you already have, all.
Starting today, Xbox Cloud Gaming is available to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets, via browser, across 22 countries. If you’re a member or want to become a member, simply go to xbox.com/play on Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Safari on your PC or mobile device to start playing hundreds of games from the Xbox Game Pass library.
Microsoft says that cloud gaming on Xbox.com is supported on iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 14.4 or higher. Other requirements include a 10Mbps minimum internet connection and a Bluetooth or USB controller. The company also touts improvements to the Xbox Cloud Gaming experience:
We’re also making significant improvements to the overall experience: Xbox Cloud Gaming is now powered by custom Xbox Series X hardware. We’ve been upgrading Microsoft datacenters around the globe with the fastest, most powerful Xbox hardware to give you faster load times, improved frame rates, and an experience of a new generation of gaming. To ensure the lowest latency, highest quality experience across the broadest set of devices, we will be streaming at 1080p and up to 60fps.
Xcloud Mac App Store
An Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription will run you $14.99 per month, but you can get your first three months for $1 as part of a limited-time promotion. As our colleagues over at 9to5Google note, support for browsers and iOS devices means the service now matches Google Stadia.
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After more than two months of beta testing, Microsoft is readying the launch of its xCloud Game streaming platform on Safari, Edge, and Chrome in the “next few weeks.” This comes after Microsoft had been pushing to bring xCloud to the App Store.
The company made the announcement today in a blog post about “bringing the joy and community of gaming to everyone.” Here’s what Microsoft said:
In the next few weeks, cloud gaming on the browser will open to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members. With Edge, Chrome, and Safari support, players will be a click away from gaming on almost any device.
Microsoft wanted to offer the xCloud Game platform as an app on the App Store, but since Apple policies don’t allow app stores inside the App Store, the Redmond had to scrap its plans last year.
In April, Microsoft announced it was going to open the beta test program of xCloud Game on web browsers. To enjoy the platform, users must be an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber.
Xcloud Mac App Download
The public beta offered access to over 100 Xbox Game Pass titles. The official Game Pass has around 300 titles that are expected to work with xCloud Game without the need of a TV or a monitor, just a web browser on your iPhone and iPad, for example.
In the blog post, Microsoft also noted that “Cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will launch in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Japan later this year” as well.
With E3 starting this Saturday, Microsoft could be preparing to give more details about the xCloud Game at the conference.
Are you looking forward to playing your favorite Xbox games on Safari with your iPhone and iPad? Tell us in the comment section below.
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