Microsoft has announced that its xCloud service, officially known as Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Remote Play are now available to everyone with the Xbox app on Windows 10 (or 11). These PC features were released to Xbox Insiders as a beta version last month and have been available on phones for a while, but it’s also good to see them. It gives you another option to know how you want to play, whether the game runs on your personal console or on Microsoft servers.
Xbox Cloud Gaming, which seems like a natural fit for computers that don’t have the power to make games on their own, has been available on Windows for a few months now via web browsers, but it’s a good step forward in what is now the service finds a native application, rather than being limited to a web browser on the computer. To use it, you still need a Bluetooth or USB driver and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. It should also be noted that while the availability of Xbox Cloud Gaming on Windows is no longer exclusive to Insiders, Microsoft continues to label the service as a beta, so your mileage may vary.
Remote Play is also a good addition, allowing you to stream games from the Xbox Series S or X or Xbox One to your Windows machine. Microsoft says the feature is available on your home network or remotely over the Internet, though you’ll probably get better performance if the game runs locally on the same network. Microsoft has also added some features to Remote Play: the company says you can now play games at 1080p at 60 fps and you can play “select” games on the original Xbox and 360. We have asked Microsoft for a list of games that will be supported and will provide an update if we receive news.