Summary
Microsoft initially announced support for streaming owned games during X019 in November 2019,back when Xbox Cloud Gaming was still called Project xCloud. On that occasion, the company said that a beta version of this functionality would roll out sometime in 2020. While this didn’t come to pass, Microsoft has since occasionally reiterated that support for streaming purchased Xbox games is still coming.
The company might finally be ready to start making good on that promise, according to a newreportfrom The Verge, which states that Microsoft has recently begun testing the feature internally. The current version of the service is said to support 10 games. Half of those used to be available on Xbox Game Pass, with this group includingHades,High on Life,Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy,Metro Exodus, andThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The other five areDredge,Dying Light 2, the complete edition ofThe Witcher 3, and the Xbox One versions ofThe Crew MotorfestandPGA Tour 2K23.
Xbox Cloud Gaming Support for Streaming Some Owned Games Is Reportedly Coming Soon
The feature is currently on course to be offered to some users before the end of November 2024, as per the same source. Its experimental version will reportedly first roll out tomembers of the Xbox Insiders program, which anyone is free to enroll in. The full initial list of Xbox titles that players will be able to stream as part of this beta is currently unclear. The Verge claims that Microsoft’s ultimate goal is to allow users to stream thousands of games they own, citing sources familiar with the initiative.
Games That Might Become Streamable Via Xbox Cloud Gaming Soon
This report aligns with what Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said back in February, when he promised thatXbox Cloud Gaming will start supporting streaming of owned games before the end of 2024. In doing so, the service will begin more directly rivaling the likes of Boosteroid and Nvidia’s GeForce Now, which already allow users to play (some) games they already own on other platforms via cloud.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently an exclusive perk of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. But once it finally begins allowing users to stream games that they own outright, the service could become strong enough to stand on its own. Microsoft is believed to be aware of this possibility, with recent reports suggesting that the company is currentlyconsidering making a cloud-only Xbox Game Pass tier.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you may play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.
