Xbox Cloud Gaming

The ideas for the cloud service came within Microsoft around 2016, around the same time that Kareem Choudhry developed the Xbox 360 backwards compatibility for the Xbox One. As his team developed this solution, Choudhry also had the idea if they could provide these games without having need of a console, and got Spencer's go-ahead to start a small team to determine the feasibility of cloud gaming. The technology was deemed successful enough at around the time of Xbox Game Pass's introduction that Microsoft assembled a larger team to build up the cloud gaming platform. Microsoft teased the service at E3 2018 and formally announced Project xCloud several months later, in October 2018. They demonstrated the service in March 2019 with the racing game Forza Horizon 4 playing on an Android smartphone with an Xbox One controller. Xbox head Phil Spencer used a private server during this time to test games on a remote connection. The service entered its home testing phase in May 2019, when it could be used outside the lab environment. It entered public testing later in the year and was unveiled at E3 2019. Microsoft said that its Xbox content library will make its service more appealing than competitors such as Stadia. The hardware at launch used Xbox One S-based blade servers, but began to transition to Xbox Series X-based servers in June 2021. Each server initially had four customized Xbox One S-based units for the 2018 teaser, but this was doubled to eight per server in a 2U enclosure for the service's launch in 2019. Compared to the standard Xbox One S, power consumption has been reduced by 30% through processor-specific power tuning. Video output is set for 120 Hz to reduce latency. Trials of the service began in October 2019, and as of November 2019, the service hosts 50 games, with support in testing for Apple Inc.'s iOS mobile devices, and for Sony Interactive Entertainment's DualShock controllers. On February 12, 2020, Project xCloud launched on Apple's mobile operating system in a preview version. On May 5, 2020, Project xCloud came to Spain (Europe) in preview (Video on live). Microsoft released Xbox Cloud Gaming across 21 countries in North America and Europe, as well as in South Korea, on September 15, 2020, for select Android devices, with support for more than 150 games at launch. Xbox Cloud Gaming was released in its beta form for Windows users on August 9, 2021, as a perk of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, though also required users to be registered in the Xbox Insider program. It was officially released as part of the Xbox app for Windows on September 14, 2021, along with Remote Play support from Xbox consoles to a Windows computer. Microsoft introduced a Clarity Boost feature for Windows users through the Edge browser that provides client-side visual improvements to the streamed content. Microsoft began rolling out testing of Xbox Cloud Gaming for Xbox One consoles on test channels in October 2021, allowing users on those consoles to play Xbox Series X/S games. In 2024, Microsoft also rolled out Xbox cloud gaming for the Fire TV series of products. The internet speed requirements for Xbox Cloud Gaming's service is as follows: Along with updates to the Xbox Game Pass program in October 2025, Microsoft also brought Cloud Gaming out of its beta period, making it available for the Premium and Ultimate tiers of Xbox Game Pass. Additionally, users reported being offered a free, ad-supported version of Xbox Cloud Gaming, limited to games the user owns and a small rotating selection of free titles. For the second quarter of the 2026 fiscal year, reported a record revenue of $8.2 billion, representing a year-over-year increase driven primarily by content and services. According to reports in March 2026, Xbox has shifted its strategic focus toward dedicated console hardware, from the "Xbox is Every Screen" marketing campaign. == Availability ==

Xbox Cloud Gaming is available in the following 29 countries, incl. Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In September 2021, Microsoft expanded the service to Australia, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico.In June 2022, the service was expanded further to include Argentina and New Zealand. In November 2025, the service was expanded further to include India. == Games ==

The Xbox Series X/S's backward compatibility allows xCloud to retain the existing library of Xbox games while adding new games from the Xbox Series X/S. The list includes Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Forza Horizon 5, The Outer Worlds, Yakuza Kiwami 2, and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Microsoft has also announced plans to expand the list of cloud-enabled games to include select Xbox games that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members have purchased from the Microsoft Store. ''Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice'' was the first game to support full touch controls. Touch controls have since been added to another 186 games. == Reception ==

The service received generally positive initial impressions from reviewers. Playing over a T-Mobile LTE connection with just 25 Mbit/s download speed caused no effect on image quality. Even while playing on a moving bus and train, there was no noticeable loss of image quality. Reviewers also reported that starting up games on the phone feels faster because the games are running on more powerful remote servers rather than a hard drive on a console. Load times are also minimized and closer to a PC gaming experience. == Hardware ==

Xbox Cloud Gaming runs via Microsoft's 54 Azure cloud computing centers, hosted in 140 countries. Microsoft upgraded its server blades to the more capable Xbox Series X hardware in 2021. The service is designed to work with phones, either with touchscreen controls or a game controller over Bluetooth. Notable supported controller models include: • Official Xbox controllers • Xbox Wireless Controller • Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 1 and Series 2 • Xbox Adaptive Controller • Logitech • Gamepad F310 • Wireless Gamepad F710 • G920 • G923 (Xbox edition) • G PRO Racing Wheel (Xbox edition) • RS50 (Xbox edition) • Valve Corporation • Steam Controller • Razer Inc. • Kishi (Xbox edition) • Kishi v2 for iPhone (Xbox edition) • Kishi v2 Pro (Xbox edition) • Kishi v3 • Kishi v3 Pro • Kishi v3 Pro XL • Kishi Ultra • Wolverine Ultimate • Wolverine Tournament Edition • Wolverine v2 • Wolverine v2 Chroma • Wolverine v3 Pro • Wolverine v3 Tournament Edition • Wolverine v3 Bluetooth • Atrox Arcade Stick • Raiju Mobile Gaming Controller for Android • Junglecat • Sony • DualShock 4 Wireless Controller • DualSense Wireless Controller • SteelSeries • Stratus XL for Windows, Android, and VR • Stratus Duo for Windows, Chromebook, Android, and VR • Stratus+ for Windows, Chromebook, and Android • Nimbus+ for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Apple TV • Nimbus Cloud • Backbone Labs • Backbone One (Xbox edition) • Backbone Pro (Xbox edition) • Google • Stadia Controller • Amazon • Luna Controller • Nintendo • Joy-Con • Joy-Con 2 • Nintendo Switch Pro Controller • Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller • Gamevice • Gamevice for Android • Gamevice for iPhone • Gamevice for iPad • Flex for Android • Flex for iPhone • Nacon • MG-X (Xbox edition) • MG-X Pro (Xbox edition) • Revolution X Pro Controller • Revolution X Unlimited Controller • Pro Compact Controller • EVOL-X • EVOL-X Pro • Daija Arcade Stick (Xbox edition) • GameSir • X2 Pro Mobile Game Controller • X4 Aileron Xbox Mobile Gaming Controller • X5s Wireless Mobile Game Controller • Kaleid Xbox Wired Controller • Kaleid Flux Xbox Wired Controller • T7 Wired Controller for Xbox • T7 Pro Floral Wired Controller for Xbox • G7 SE Xbox Wired Controller • G7 HE Xbox Wired Controller • G7 Pro Tri-Mode Xbox Wired, PC & Mobile Wireless Controller • G8 Plus MFi Type-C Mobile Controller (Apple Certified) • ContrlPWR • Cloud Gaming Controller for iOS (Xbox edition) • Hori • HORIPAD Pro • HORIPAD Turbo SL • Fighting Stick α (Alpha) • Fighting Commander OCTA • PowerA • MOGA XP5-A Plus • MOGA XP5-i Plus • MOGA XP5-X Plus • MOGA XP7-X Plus • MOGA XP-ULTRA Multi-Platform Wireless Controller for Mobile, PC and Xbox Series X|S • Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • Nano Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • Spectra Infinity Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • Symmetric Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • Advantage Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • Advantage Plus Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • Wireless Controller for Xbox Series X|S • FUSION Pro 2 Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • FUSION Pro 3 Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • FUSION Pro 4 Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S • FUSION Pro Wireless Controller for Xbox Series X|S • OPS v1 Wireless Controller for PC and Cloud Gaming • OPS v3 Pro Wireless Controller for PC and Cloud Gaming with Lumectra • Turtle Beach Corporation • Recon Controller • Recon Cloud Hybrid Game Controller • Atom Controller • React-R Controller • Stealth Ultra Wireless Controller with Rapid Charge Dock • Stealth Pivot Wireless Smart Controller • Rematch Core Wired Controller • Afterglow Wave Wired Controller • PDP Afterglow Wave Wired Controller • PDP Rematch Advanced Wired Controller • PDP Neon Wired Controller • PDP REALMz Wired Controller • PDP REALMz Wireless Controller • PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller (Xbox edition) • PDP REPLAY Wireless Controller • Victrix Pro KO Leverless Fight Stick (Xbox edition) • Victrix Pro BFG Wireless Controller (Xbox edition) • Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded Wireless Modular Controller (Xbox edition) • Victrix Gambit Prime Tournament Controller Mobile devices Android Xbox Cloud Gaming works with any Android phone or tablet that has at least Android 12.0 and Bluetooth 4.0. Examples of supported devices include the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 11. In March 2021, Microsoft released an update to the Android Xbox Cloud Gaming client that allows dual-screened devices like the Surface Duo to use the second screen to host the touch controls. Several notable games such as Minecraft Dungeons and New Super Lucky's Tale support the dedicated gamepad on the second screen. Some games such as Gears 5 support motion controls using the device's built in gyro and provide a dedicated control scheme when using the gamepad mode. In October 2023, Meta Platforms announced an Xbox Cloud Gaming app for Meta Quest 3 (based on Android source code) virtual reality headsets. iOS While Microsoft had planned to release xCloud for iOS devices, the company halted iOS testing in August 2020, asserting that policies on the Apple App Store limited what functionality they could provide for the service. Apple clarified that cloud streaming services like xCloud allow Microsoft to release games onto the iOS platform that bypass the normal checks that Apple performs for other apps, and thus refused to allow the app on the platform. However, in September 2020, Apple altered its rules that allowed xCloud and other cloud gaming apps to work on iOS, with restrictions that each game must be offered as an individual download on the iOS store which the user must use before playing, though catalog apps as part of the service can list and link to these games. Microsoft responded negatively to this change, stating that Microsoft had considered the possibility of making each game its own application as to satisfy Apple's requirements, according to The Verge based on emails uncovered during the Epic Games v. Apple trial. Microsoft suggested in October 2020 that to work around Apple's restriction, it may bring xCloud to iOS as a browser-based web application, which would not have its content restricted by the App Store limitations. The company later announced that it will use this approach to bring a browser-based version of the cloud gaming service to both personal computers and to iOS devices to be released sometime by the second quarter of 2021. An invite-only beta test of the browser version started on April 20, 2021. The full version for all Xbox Game Pass subscribers was released on June 28, 2021. Xbox consoles Microsoft also announced plans to bring cloud gaming to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles later in 2021, which would also allow Xbox One users to play games that are only able to run on the Series X/S consoles. The feature was made available on November 17, 2021. Other devices Alongside the iOS browser-based version, browser-based Xbox Cloud Gaming through supported browsers in Windows 10 computers was added for Xbox Game Pass subscribers on June 28, 2021. However, by November 2022, Spencer stated that they had ceased development of this device, as it was too costly compared to the Xbox Series S, and surpassed the $99-$129 price range they had envisioned. In July 2022, Xbox Cloud Gaming was launched on select Samsung Smart TVs and Smart Monitors via the Xbox app, with support for Bluetooth controllers. Microsoft said that other smart TV brands were being evaluated for the Xbox app for smart TVs. The service was also added to Meta Quest VR headsets in December 2023 via a beta version of the Xbox Cloud Gaming app. In June 2024, it was announced that Microsoft had partnered with Amazon to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to Fire TV devices through the Xbox TV app. == See also ==