Il Microsoft streaming game service is here. After a long wait that started in 2018, xCloud is a reality, and goes as far as giving Android users the ability to enjoy their favorite console games from their smartphone.
It is not the first cloud platform Gaming to be available on Google's operating system, but it is one of the most awaited by users. Now, is among us and that's all you need to know.
Xbox games, on your mobile with Microsoft xCloud.
Che cos’è Xbox Cloud Gaming o Xbox Cloud Gaming?
In the beginning, xCloud (name of the project in its initial phase) was born as platform independent of Microsoft in the Google Stadia style, which would allow Android mobile users to play ai Xbox games from your mobile streaming through the cloud.
But after finalizing the preliminary version of xCloud, the technology was incorporated into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so that subscribers to this mode could enjoy their titles on Android tablet phones.
In general, the functioning of this platform is not very different from that of others of the style such as Google Stadia: Microsoft has data center made up of console Xbox One S configured as blade servers. It is in them that games are run that we choose from our Android and Microsoft device transmits them to us via the Internet.
In the future, Microsoft's idea is to upgrade the hardware in these data centers in games to run on Xbox Series X consoles, thereby increasing the platform's capabilities in terms of running multiple simultaneous gaming sessions.
Microsoft's game streaming service is now available.
A fundamental aspect in any platform of this type is that of Internet connection. After all, without a good connection it won't be possible play ai Xbox cloud games from our mobile.
In that sense, Microsoft said at the time that the optimal connection speed to get a good result is between 7 and 10 Mbps, although it is capable of running at just 4 Mbps. The company has also worked for reduce latency in so that the gaming experience isn't too different from what you might get locally.
Requirements for playing Xbox cloud games on Android
To enjoy the Xbox Cloud Gaming games on your Android phone or tablet, you have to meet a number of requirements that the company explains on its official website. Are the following:
- Have an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership
- Have an Xbox controller with Bluetooth or another compatible controller.
- Having an Android device with a version starting with 6.0 Marshmallow
- Have an Internet connection –Wi-Fi or LTE / 5G– with a minimum download of 10 Mbps.
- The Xbox Game Pass app for Android installed on your mobile.
If you meet these requirements, now you can start using Xbox Cloud Gaming to play Xbox games from mobile devices.
Price: How much does it cost to play Xbox on Android?
Obviously, Xbox Cloud Gaming is not a free platform. As we indicated in the requirements section, a Game Pass Ultimate subscription which will allow you to access games in the cloud from your mobile.
In Spain the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate - and therefore also of the game in the cloud - is 12,99 euros per month, although it is possible to take advantage of the subscription to 1 € for one month. In return, these are all the benefits you get:
- Access to over 100 games on consoles, PCs and Android devices.
- New games added frequently.
- Xbox Studio games launch on the day of departure.
- Discounts and offers for members.
- Xbox Live Gold: Includes console offers, games and multiplayer, valued at $ 9,99 per month.
How to play and set up Xbox Cloud Gaming on Android
xCloud is available for Android users.
If you meet all the requirements and already have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription active, it's time to start setting up the service on your Android device.
The first step is download and install the Xbox Game Pass application on our mobile or tablet - we remind you that, for now, xCloud is not available on iPhone or iPad -.
With the app already installed, you have to sign in and log in with your Microsoft account associated with your Game Pass subscription.
Now access the section games in the cloud and connect your mobile to an Xbox Bluetooth controller or other compatible controller when the app asks you to. This way, you can access the Xbox game catalog in the cloud, with more than 100 titles available starting September 15.
This is the Game Pass app for Android
The cloud gaming feature is integrated directly into the Game Pass app for Android. This has a modern design that puts games as protagonists.
In that sense, the app allows you to explore and download games on Xbox One remotely, so that they are ready as soon as we restart the console - for this, the Xbox must be configured with immediate start mode.
It also allows you to receive notifications about new games available on Game Pass and get discounts on Xbox titles.
How to play Xbox Cloud Gaming on TV
One of the great advantages of the Microsoft Xbox streaming game service is the possibility of enjoy our favorite titles on television.
And is that Xbox Cloud Gaming has an app optimized for Android TVs. To use it, you need to follow these steps:
- If you don't have it yet, download a file browser to your Android TV via Google Play.
- On your mobile, download the APK file of the latest available version of Xbox Game Pass and send it to your TV using an application such as Send Files to TV.
- When you have received the file, install it on your Android TV via the file explorer you installed in the first step.
- To open the Xbox Game Pass app on your TV, you need a third-party launcher such as Sideload Launcher, available on Google Play. Install the app and open it to be able to run Xbox Game Pass.
- Now you just need to log into your Microsoft account and start playing.
In case you don't have an Android TV, you always can duplicate your mobile screen on your TV to view content in style.
All android games
Microsoft promises that Cloud Gaming will include more than 100 different games from the Game Pass Ultimate catalog, although only 30 of them can be used during the preliminary phase. These are the titles initially available:
- Ark: Survival Evolved
- Bloody edge
- Custom Quest 2
- Crackdown 3 (campaign)
- Destination 2
- F1 2019
- Strength Horizon 4
- Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
- Gears of War 4
- Gears 5 Ultimate Edition
- to the ground
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Halo Wars: Definitive Edition
- Halo Wars 2
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection
- Halo: Spartan Assault
- Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice
- Killer Instinct Ultimate Edition
- Max: The curse of the brotherhood
- Minecraft dungeon
- The outer worlds
- Ori and the Blind Forest: Final Edition
- Ori and the will of the will-o'-the-wisps
- Quantum pause
- ReCore: definitive editionDefini
- Ryse: Son of Rome
- Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition
- State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition
- Sunset Overdrive
- Super Lucky's Tale
- Tell me why
- The Bard's Tale Trilogy
- Wasteland 2: Director's Cut
- Wasteland 3
- Remastered Wasteland
- Yakuza Kiwami 2
In summary…
To play Xbox Cloud Gaming, a compatible controller is required.
There is no doubt that Microsoft wants to revolutionize the world of games proposing one of the platforms of streaming game most eye-catching available on the market.
Its testing phase has been more than promising, and now we just have to wait for the final launch of the platform, which will take place on 15 September. From that moment on, it will be possible to access the complete catalog of games.
Along with Cloud Gaming, Microsoft has also created a version of the this PC service available in Windows 10 called Xbox Game Pass for PC.
With this computer version it will be possible to access a catalog of over 100 high quality games from our Windows 10 PC, simply by having a Game Pass subscription, Internet connection and the Windows app.
