Microsoft had officially announced on Tuesday that it would be launching its Netflix-style cloud gaming service on Sept. 15 as part of a $15-per-month subscription bundle.
The company initially had revealed that it would be making its xCloud streaming platform a free add-on to its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service last month. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which costs $15 a month, is the firm’s top subscription product and gives gamers access to a catalog of games on its Xbox One console and Windows 10 PCs.
A beta version of Microsoft’s cloud gaming software would be included with the Xbox Game Pass app from September 15 onwards, allowing users to jump into a game from their smartphone or tablet. The app Microsoft will only be available on Android devices and in 22 countries including the U.S., Canada, Britain and South Korea. Microsoft also stated that it would be made available to PC too, but there’s no release date for that yet.
Players would be able to choose from a selection of over 100 games at launch. Microsoft hasn’t yet revealed all the titles that would be made available, but had shared an initial list of games including “Destiny 2,” “Gears of War 5,” “Grounded,” “Halo 5,” “Minecraft Dungeons” and upcoming title “Tell Me Why.”Microsoft also unveiled a range of dedicated controllers and accessories that will work with cloud gaming, thanks to partnerships with various gaming hardware manufacturers. (Source : CNBC)
One controller from Razer attaches to a user’s smartphone, with analog sticks and buttons either side in similar fashion to Nintendo’s hybrid Switch console. Other devices that will be compatible with Microsoft’s cloud gaming service include two controllers from PowerA — one with a phone mount on top and another that attaches on either side of a phone — a retro-themed controller from 8BitDo and a wireless gaming headset from SteelSeries.
Microsoft is currently gearing up for the launch of its upcoming Xbox Series X console, which will compete directly with Sony’s own next-gen machine, the PlayStation 5, in the fall.