What are Xbox Cloud games?

Playing games from the comfort of your couch or comfy gaming chair is generally the preferred way to play. It is comfortable and great for posing and playing your favorite game on the console usually It offers better performance, and therefore a better experience.

But inevitably, you’ll need to move out of that environment, and Xbox Cloud Gaming gives you a way to play your games on the go — you can’t bring your very own gaming setup to commute to work or those family events where you just want to disappear into the background, right?

For many years, Nintendo has dominated the portable gaming arena, especially with its newest console, the Switch. PlayStation has been shaking up portable gaming with the Vita for a while, and more recently, Valve has joined the fray with Steam Deck. But each of these systems requires you to purchase a new device, and if you’re an Xbox-only player, you’ll need to purchase all new games for said device.

This is where Xbox Cloud Gaming from Microsoft comes in, as it offers you a wide range of games to play on various devices you already own, which are streamed directly from its servers for a monthly subscription. We’ve searched to find all the information you need when deciding whether Xbox Cloud Gaming is right for you.

What are Xbox Cloud games?

Xbox Cloud Gaming – formerly Project xCloud – is Microsoft’s official cloud gaming platform. Comes as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription (see our Xbox Game Pass guide For details of its multiple levels), allowing you to stream compatible games on Xbox, mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop and more.

You can access Xbox Cloud Gaming through Xbox.com Or the Xbox Game Pass app on the device of your choice — except Apple, which requires you to use the website service via the device’s browser — and lets you transfer your console gaming experience to other devices you already own.

Who can use Xbox Cloud Gaming?

The service is currently only available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers who live in the following locations:

How does it work?

Xbox Cloud Gaming works by connecting your compatible device to the Xbox Network, also known as Xbox Live (more on devices below), so you can access games inside Microsoft’s data centers.

This is where the magic happens. These data centers are built using clusters of systems that use hardware similar to Xbox Series How to play depends on your internet connection and your distance from the nearest server He should It streams at 1080p at a maximum of 60 frames per second.

What devices are compatible?

Xbox Cloud Gaming is compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple, Samsung, Meta Quest, and Windows 10 devices, though you’ll need to use the service differently depending on which device you’re using. Once you’ve arranged your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and confirmed the service is available in your region, you’ll need one of the following devices to start playing:

Do I need any additional peripherals?

Although a lot of games are now available for Xbox Cloud Gaming with touch controls, you’ll need to connect a compatible controller to play most games. Many controllers are available such as wireless, wired and controllers that install directly on your mobile phone – you can find a list of officially licensed devices in our website Designed for Xbox Guide.

When choosing a controller to use with Xbox Cloud Gaming, double check List on the Xbox website To ensure compatibility – the official version made for Xbox is optimized for Xbox Cloud Gaming, but verified consoles will work too. Wireless controllers need to be turned on Latest firmware updateswhich can be downloaded via PC or Xbox.

Can you play your owned games with Xbox Cloud Gaming?

Yes, but only a select number of games are compatible at the moment. In November 2024, Microsoft began allowing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to stream their owned games via the Xbox Cloud Gaming browser experience. There are only 50 games compatible at the momentBut we hope that this number will grow in the future.

In December 2024, Xbox Insiders have begun testing the same feature on Xbox Seriesgiving them the option to launch a game via Cloud Gaming directly from their game library. The list of compatible games hasn’t expanded yet, but Microsoft seems to be making decent progress with the new feature.