[Update 4: Preview Adds More Games] Project xCloud lets you stream Xbox One games to phones and tablets

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Update 4 (10/29/19 @ 5:10 PM ET): Microsoft releases Xbox Console Streaming in preview, letting you stream any Xbox One game to your Android phone or tablet. Update 3 (10/15/19 @ 8:42 AM ET): A preview of Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming service is now live for users in selected regions. Update 2 (9/25/19 @ 10:30 AM ET): You can now sign-up for Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming service in the US, UK, and Korea. Update 1 (6/9/19 @ 6:00 PM ET): During Microsoft’s E3 conference, Phil Spencer announced that xCloud will go into preview this October 2019. More details below.

With so many devices in our lives having displays, people demand more and more interconnectivity. They want to be able to use apps, games, and services on all their devices. Buy something on one screen and use it on all the others. Gaming is a big part of this, and Microsoft is enabling this interconnectivity possible with something called “Project xCloud.”

xCloud is Microsoft’s game streaming service that’s designed to allow users to stream Xbox games to your console, PC, or mobile devices. Microsoft has worked on this for a while already, and all existing and future Xbox games will be compatible with xCloud. That means you’ll be able to play console-quality games on your phone while on-the-go.

Controlling these games will be critical, especially on smaller devices like smartphones. Xbox Wireless Controllers can connect to PCs and smartphones for playing these games. Microsoft is working on ways to limit the latency usually experienced when streaming games. In fact, they have custom hardware in their data centers specifically for Project xCloud.

Trials for the service will open up sometime next year. Google just recently announced their own game streaming service, called Project Stream. They will also have to compete with NVIDIA GeForce Now and PlayStation Now. The battle to bring your games to all devices is heating up. We’ll have to wait and see how Microsoft’s service stacks up.

Update 1: Going into preview in October 2019

The annual E3 gaming convention kicked off today and Microsoft’s press conference is chock full of new game announcements. Hot on the heels of Google’s Stadia event, Xbox chief Phil Spencer announced that the company’s own game streaming platform, xCloud, will go into preview this October.

With Console Streaming from your Xbox One you'll be able to: ✅ Turn your Xbox One into your own personal console server

✅ Stream your Xbox One library, including Xbox Game Pass, for free Where you play is entirely your choice. Going into preview in October. #XboxE3 pic.twitter.com/TmszGgBk21 — Xbox (@Xbox) June 9, 2019

Microsoft will enable cloud game streaming in two ways: through Project xCloud and through console streaming. The former uses Microsoft servers to stream games to your device while the latter uses your existing Xbox One as the xCloud server.

Update 2: Sign-ups Live

Microsoft announced its Project xCloud game streaming service in June and they are now accepting registrations for the preview. People in the US, UK, and Korea can sign up here to try the service. Public trials will begin in October and Microsoft will send invites to a “small number of participants” in the coming weeks. The games available in this preview include Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Killer Instinct, and Sea of Thieves. You will need an Android 6.0+ phone or tablet with Bluetooth 4.0, a Microsoft account, and Bluetooth enabled Xbox One controller.

Via: The Verge

Update 3: Preview Live

Microsoft has officially launched a preview of Project xCloud for users in the US, UK, and Korea. Game streaming is limited to Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Killer Instinct, and Sea of Thieves during the initial preview phase. The preview phase allows Microsoft to receive feedback on their product from a wider range of gamers, devices, network environments, and real-world use-case scenarios. Invites for xCloud are rolling out today, so check your inbox if you have already signed up. If you haven’t yet, sign up from here.

Via: The Verge

Update 4: Preview Adds More Games

Microsoft is expanding the preview of its Console Streaming service to Xbox One users. This is the streaming service to go along with Project xCloud. It uses your console to stream games to your phone, whereas xCloud uses Microsoft’s servers.

If you’re an Xbox Insider in the Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead rings in the US and UK, you can now try a preview of Xbox Console Streaming. You’ll be able to play your owned and installed Xbox One games, including Xbox Game Pass titles, on an Android phone or tablet remotely from your home console.

Requirements:

An open or moderate NAT type

Upload bandwidth of at least 4.75 Mbps (9 Mbps preferred)

Network latency of 125 ms or less required (60 ms or less preferred)

The Xbox One console to be set to instant-on in the power options

Source: Microsoft | Via: The Verge