Microsoft’s first round of beta testing for its Xbox xCloud game streaming service has begun for iOS users, letting more fans get a taste of the new tech. The app previously debuted on Android last year.
The client app supports xCloud streaming on both Android and iOS, but iPhone users won’t be able to use the console streaming features if they own an Xbox One. Additionally, due to App Store regulations, the Apple version of the app currently only has support for one title, Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
The Android preview currently has support for a selection of 87 titles, including third-party games like Tekken 7 and Destiny 2 alongside first-party Microsoft projects like the Halo series and Gears 5. Players interested in either version can apply for an invitation on Microsoft’s website, and will need an Xbox Live account. The app supports device with Bluetooth 4 support and either iOS 13 or Android 6.0.
Requests to join the initial iOS beta period filled up quickly, as Microsoft kept invitations limited to a small audience of 10,000 users. Users that apply can still get in later on, as the company may shift through its list of registered users during the app’s testing preview period. It’s unclear if xCloud will support for PlayStation controllers on iOS during the beta, but support for the service’s full release has already been confirmed. Xbox One controllers with Bluetooth support should already work on both platforms.
Microsoft seems to be taking a slower approach to releasing xCloud than Google, whose Stadia game streaming service launched last year to mixed reception. xCloud’s library, at least on Android, is already much larger than its rival, and fans with existing save data on Xbox consoles or PCs can even bring over their progress onto the xCloud versions of some titles.
The company hasn’t confirmed what pricing on the final version of xCloud will be like. Based on the budding service’s potential as the future of Microsoft’s gaming business, fans can probably expect it to be competitive with Stadia Pro and PlayStation Now. Microsoft could even roll access to the service into its existing Xbox Game Pass service, adding further value to what might quietly be one of the best deals in the industry.
Source: Major Nelson
