Xbox Game Pass Cloud Gaming Arrives On Consoles

Following a limited test in September, Microsoft has begun rolling out cloud gaming support to additional Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles. Engadget reports: While the feature is still in beta, it's now available to select Xbox console owners in 25 markets. Over the coming weeks, the company plans to scale the service to all Xbox systems in those regions. As before, you'll need a Game Pass Ultimate subscription to use the service, but it's no longer necessary to take part in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha Insider programs.

Microsoft envisions a handful of scenarios where the ability to stream a game will be helpful. To start, it's a way for people to try a Game Pass title without downloading it first. In much the same way, it also allows you to jump into a multiplayer game with your friends, even if you don't have that title installed. Lastly, for Xbox One owners, it's a chance to play Xbox Series X/S titles like The Medium and The Riftbreaker.

Cloud Gaming on an XBOX?

[TechyImmigrant]

So you paid for a computing device that can play games locally and they sell you some high latency remote version rather than running the same code locally?

What sense does that make?

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[Xenx]

Well, like the summary points out, it's a great way to play a game without having to download it. I don't play on console, but I have tried to use their cloud services. I would agree, there are some games I would like to play for a bit but wouldn't want to spend the time needed to do a download. The example for me would be flight sim. I don't frequently have the desire to play, or enough free space to keep every game I rarely play, It could pop on and play when I want and use much less data than downloading

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[tlhIngan]

They also mention it's a way to play some previous gen titles that are, I assume, otherwise unavailable on the Xbox One.

Actually, it's the other way around. It's to allow playing current gen titles on previous gen hardware. So a game like Flight Sim which runs terrible on Xbox One (but utterly beautiful on Xbos Series) can be played on the Xbox One.

Game Pass just became a lot more valuable for Xbox One owners who cannot or have not upgraded because they can now play a lot of those games at great performance

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[compling]

Good points. There has been a very strong luddite / reactionary vibe on slashdot for a while now. Everything is useless, makes no sense etc. I guess they feel smart for saying that?

Re: Cloud Gaming on an XBOX?

[Malays2 bowman]

Cloud gaming should supplement 'local' gaming, not replace it.

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[TechyImmigrant]

>I guess they feel smart for saying that?

Nope. It was a genuine question and it was answered. I was not considering older XBOXes. I don't own an XBOX or any other console game machine.
 

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[Xenx]

Actually, it's the other way around. It's to allow playing current gen titles on previous gen hardware.

Yeah, the last Xbox I purchased was the 360 at launch. Their naming doesn't denote generation well unless you keep track.

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[compling]

Ever used gmail? Why are you using a remote mail client when you paid for a computing device that can run a mail server locally?

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[TechyImmigrant]

Gmail isn't rendering a 3D world in real time.

Re: Cloud Gaming on an XBOX?

[Malays2 bowman]

I think the idea is to be able to sample a game before committing to a multi gigabyte download on the console's drive.

I wouldn't want to play a game fully (more than a few minutes) like this, because that one game will end up counting against whatever data cap your provider has in a hurry.

  I would also set the streaming to 720 or 1080 rez and save the 4k for whatever game I download with the intent of playing it through.

If only they could make it work well

[Xenx]

I'm just waiting for MS to get around to fixing latency related issues for people with fast internet. It's terrible when the streamed games run better on a ~5-10Mbps cellular connection than on gigabit fiber. I know the problem isn't universal, but I'm not the only one with it. I also know it's not my connection or location.

Re: If only they could make it work well

[Malays2 bowman]

Don't forget that there are a lot of machines and connections between the server and your fiber "last mile" connection. A flaw anywhere along that chain will cause latency issues.

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[Xenx]

I work for the ISP, and am in the building on a customer side ONT. I live a little outside Seattle. If I do a tracert, the ISP's edge is hop 4 and Microsoft is hop 5. There is one more hop within Microsoft before it goes dark, but the ping times to that last hop are pretty consistent at 6ms-8ms.