Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service (xCloud) is now fully powered by custom Xbox Series X hardware. Microsoft tells The Verge it recently completed the upgrade, which improves both framerates and game load times for players streaming Xbox games over the web.
While Microsoft has moved Xbox Cloud Gaming to 1080p and 60fps streams in recent months, the company has yet to unlock the full potential of custom Xbox Series X hardware to deliver 4K streams. It’s not clear when this will be available, but Microsoft has been moving towards delivering Xbox Cloud Gaming beyond just mobile devices and browsers.
Microsoft is currently working on a dedicated Xbox app for TVs that will allow Xbox players to stream games without a console. Standalone streaming devices that you can plug into a TV or monitor are also planned, and it’s reasonable to assume there could be further upgrades to the Xbox Cloud Gaming resolution to match this TV push.
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Xbox Cloud Gaming started off as a way to play games on mobile devices, but with its upcoming integration into the Xbox dashboard and TVs, it’s already becoming a lot more than just a mobile offering. Microsoft is also integrating Xbox Cloud Gaming into its new Xbox web store that’s starting to rollout, and we’re still waiting to hear more about its plans to bring its xCloud technology to Facebook Gaming.
Microsoft also recently expanded Xbox Cloud Gaming to Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Japan, shortly after completing its custom Xbox Series X hardware upgrade for the service. Microsoft’s xCloud tech is now available in 26 countries, and the company has previously hinted at “new subscription offerings for Xbox Game Pass,” so we could see additional tiers that provide access to Xbox Cloud Gaming soon.