“I want to play cloud games with keyboard and mouse.”
This is a welcome news for users who have had this desire while using’Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’. X Cloud is currently only supported on Android OS. Users who want to play cloud games on a big screen, and users who are not familiar with operating gamepads and touch controls have felt disappointed.
On the 15th (local time), the foreign media The Verge reported that Microsoft started testing the X Cloud web browser version internally. After the test is over, a public preview will be held soon.
The specific timing is undecided. However, in December 2020, Microsoft said, “We will start servicing the PC version of X Cloud in the spring of 2021.” As announced, the official service is expected to start in April at the latest.
The maximum resolution of the web version has not yet been revealed. However, up to 1080p was supported in the PC version test conducted exclusively through several media in the past. (Mobile version is limited to 720p)
It has a relatively low resolution compared to competing services such as Google Stadia that support 4k. This is a limitation that occurs because Microsoft is currently using Xbox Series S hardware for X Cloud streaming. Microsoft said it will upgrade its streaming device to the Xbox Series X within this year. After the replacement, it is expected to support up to 4K resolution.
Web browsers that support X Cloud are known as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. In the future, the streaming function will be added to the Xbox app for Windows 10.
Meanwhile, The Verge analyzed that the release of the’web browser version’ could be good news for iOS users as well. The’Xbox App’ that provides the X Cloud service is currently not available in the Apple App Store. This is because it did not pass Apple’s App Store guidelines.
According to Apple’s guidelines, all content distributed on the App Store must be directly visible to Apple. However, in the case of X Cloud, hundreds of games are included, and the list changes from time to time. Apple is in a position that it is difficult to check the contents individually. However, this is only a superficial position, and it is interpreted that it is the result of Apple’s usual stance that does not allow’external payment systems’ within the App Store ecosystem.
For this reason, iOS users have been unable to enjoy X Cloud. However, if the service is started through the Chrome browser already registered in the App Store, the possibility of using X Cloud is open to iOS users.
