Microsoft launches Xbox Cloud Gaming beta on PC, iOS
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now stream console games to browsers on PC as well as Apple phones and tablets
Microsoft has brought its cloud gaming service to PC and Apple platforms, as the company today announced the Xbox Cloud Gaming beta is now available on Windows 10 PCs and iOS phones and tablets for all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
In each case, users can access the service by going to xbox.com/play on a Chrome, Edge, or Safari browser.
The company also said it has upgraded its datacenters so that its cloud gaming service is being run on custom Xbox Series X hardware for faster load times and improved frame rates. (Streams will be limited to 60 frames per second and 1080p resolution "to ensure the lowest latency.")
In a post on the Xbox site announcing the news, Xbox Cloud Gaming VP and head of product Catherine Gluckstein provided a reminder that Microsoft would like to expand the program further still, saying, "Today marks a key milestone in our journey to bring the Xbox experience to all gamers, and we can't wait for you to begin playing."
Microsoft first launched a test version of its game streaming service for iOS with an app last August. However, as with other game streaming services like Stadia and GeForce Now, Apple said it was against App Store policies, leading Microsoft to implement the browser-based approach instead.
Earlier this year, the Epic-Apple court case also revealed that Microsoft has previously been in discussions with Nintendo to bring the cloud streaming service to the Switch.