As if Xbox owners needed anymore reason to grab themselves an Xbox Game Pass Subscription, Xbox has now officially launched it’s Xbox Xcloud Program. Don’t worry. it’s not another lackluster streaming launch like other companies have suffered from in recent times. Xcloud boasts over 150+ games, with more to be added, and low latency.
All is included for FREE for Game Pass holders, adding more to the already incredible deal that Game Pass is. Microsoft once again proves that in 2020, they no longer believe in the console war and want to focus on gaming, experience, and the technology that goes into keeping loyal customers, and creating new ones.
At only $14.99 a month, Game Pass holders get access to a plethora of games, including some major AAA titles. Minecraft, the Gears of War and Halo franchises, and Rocket League just to name a few. The ability to play their library on PC (although still in beta) is a very welcomed touch.
Not only that, but EA recently announced it will join the lineup with their EA Access (now EA Play) being added to the Game Pass. This means even more games specifically from EA that will be added to the Library in the upcoming Holiday season. Again, at no extra cost. A full list of available games are listed here.
What was already more than worth the price, Xcloud is just icing on the cake. The ability to Streamplay games on your Android phones or tablets. Xcloud is (sorta) available for IOS as well, but Microsoft themselves have stated that doing so is “a bad experience for gamers.” Most likely due to Apple’s anti-consumer policies and lack of real support for other companies ventures.
While specific specs of Xcloud remain to be seen, Microsoft is pretty confident in their Xcloud Program. Running through Microsoft’s Azure computing centres, situated all around the world, should provide a fairly decent image quality with low latency.
“We’re developing Project Xcloud not as a replacement for game consoles, but as a way to provide the same choice and versatility that lovers of music and video enjoy today. We’re adding more ways to play Xbox games. -Kareem Choudhry, corporate VP of cloud gaming at Microsoft.
Specifics on Xcloud, including how it works, what you’ll need to experience it, and some special accessories Xbox offers, tailored for the Streamplay movement, can be found here. Be sure to check us out at Informed Pixel for more gaming news, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
