The future of gaming just came a step closer, as Microsoft announces its new streaming service that lets you play Xbox games on the go.
Game review: Fist Of The North Star: Lost Paradise is a very odd mash-up
Microsoft has been working on various kinds of cloud streaming technology for years but its now announced a unique new game service that will start to become available next year.
Project xCloud takes advantage of 54 Azure datacentres around the world to allow you to stream games via mobile phones, tablets, and other non-gaming devices.
Private testing has already begun using 4G networks and 5G will be used in the future, with public trials due to start in 2019.
The video above features Xbox boss Phil Spencer and goes to great pains to assure gamers that the era of video games consoles is not over, and that Project xCloud is meant for people who either dont own a console or just want to play on the move.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whichever device you use, youll be able to use touchscreen controls – which sounds pretty awful but has been proven surprisingly acceptable for things like Fortnite – or a proper Xbox controller via Bluetooth.
More: Gaming
The annoucement comes only days after Google announced a streaming service for its Chrome browser, which is already being trialled with Ubisofts Assassins Creed Odyssey.
Streaming has long been a goal of games companies, but it is much more difficult for games than it is TV as even a few milliseconds delay can render a game unplayable
Microsoft acknowledges this is in their blog, where they claim their test experience is currently running at 10 megabits per second, but stops short of explaining how they get around the problem.
Email [email protected], leave a comment below, and follow us on Twitter
Advertisement
Advertisement
