Microsoft is a leader in cloud gaming and its ecosystem continues to expand on this front. We have known for more than a year that the company is working on developing a standalone streaming stick for Xbox Cloud Gaming that can be connected to a TV or display. In addition, a native application for smart TV is on the way.
This streaming-focused future could very well come next year. Most recently, Jeff Back from VentureBeat and Tom Warren from The Verge confirmed the story that Microsoft’s next big change is on the way. Grubb says the Xbox streaming stick or “Roku-like puck” could launch “in the next 12 months.”
In November 2020, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer first discussed the possibility of streaming games directly to a TV or display without a console. Later last year, Spencer confirmed the development of both a streaming stick device and its own television application that could function as a portal for Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Since then, however, Microsoft has been silent on when this concept will become a reality. Both Grub and Warren are presenting the Xbox Everywhere initiative that Microsoft is working on. “I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more about that in the coming months,” Warren said. Based on the name, you can imagine taking your games and progressing with yourself from a console in one room to a smartphone and TV in another.
Fortnite for free on Xbox Cloud Gaming is part of Microsoft’s Xbox Everywhere initiative, which I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more about in the coming months. xCloud prepares for more markets, more games and more devices pic.twitter.com/FvRtlZUJTm
– Tom Warren (@tomwarren) May 5, 2022
Last week, Microsoft and Epic Games released Fortnite on Xbox Cloud Gaming. This edition is important for a number of reasons. First, the company gives priority to launching a free game in its service. It also does not require an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Second, Epic Games and Fortnite are banned from Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store. Launching Xbox Cloud Gaming removes the ban. Microsoft and Epic are restoring the ability to play Fortnite on iOS and Android devices.
Finally, although it’s just one title, it’s another step forward in a reality where the entire player library is accessible through Xbox Cloud Gaming. This is something Microsoft has been anticipating since the first day of this initiative. With the introduction of more devices and options, the ecosystem is effectively opening up to more players.
Image Credit: Microsoft
Source: The Verge
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