Over the weekend, Microsoft and Bethesda announced a slew of new games, updates, and more for its Xbox consoles. Well, buried in a blog post recapping the event, Microsoft detailed plans to release the Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) app on Xbox One, enabling “millions of players” to enjoy next-gen games like Flight Simulator without having to buy a new console. What all does this mean for Xbox One owners and how can you take advantage? Let’s take a closer look.
Microsoft breathes new life into Xbox One with upcoming Xbox Cloud Gaming launch
We’ve been able to use Xbox Cloud Gaming, most commonly known as xCloud, on tablets, mobile devices, and browsers for quite a while. However, in a move that nobody expected, Microsoft will be launching the service on its previous-generation Xbox One consoles. Spotted by the Verge and buried in a recap post from earlier this week, it seems this news isn’t something that Microsoft expected a lot of people to see.
With the Series X and S still extremely hard to get, many gamers still have Xbox One, S, or X consoles that they’re using, as at least last-generation is better than nothing. The drawback to not owning the latest and greatest is that you can’t play next-generation games when they release, but with the launch of xCloud on the Xbox One lineup of consoles, that’ll all change.
You’ll soon be able to play Microsoft Flight Simulator and Forza Horizon 5 on Xbox One through xCloud
This doesn’t just mean that you’ll be able to play newer titles on Xbox One, but you’ll be able to play graphically intense games with relative ease. There will be limitations, of course, but it should be fairly straightforward to enjoy the latest games from Microsoft. As long as the same is supported by xCloud, then your Xbox One console should be able to play it. This also means that technical limitations of the hardware should be removed, allowing for higher fidelity and more in-depth games, including Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 5, and even Halo Infinite.
When does xCloud for Xbox One launch?
Well, we don’t quite know. The only thing we got from Microsoft is the statement that it’s going to be launching at some point:
For the millions of people who play on Xbox One consoles today, we are looking forward to sharing more about how we will bring many of these next-gen games, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, to your console through Xbox Cloud Gaming, just like we do with mobile devices, tablets, and browsers.
We’ll keep you updated when the launch eventually draws closer and becomes available, but we do know that you’ll need an active Game Pass Ultimate subscription in order to use the service.
9to5Toys’ Take
I love that Microsoft is doing this. So many gamers don’t have a next-generation console because stock is still scarce, and this will allow the masses to enjoy something that is normally only available to a few. This shows that Microsoft is truly in the corner of gamers this time around, while Sony doesn’t offer anything like this. For team blue, if you don’t have a PlayStation 5, you can’t play next-generation games. Microsoft continues to set itself apart from the pack, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
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