Microsoft have announced the release date of Project xCloud as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription service.
Kareem Choudhry (corporate vice president of Project xCloud) stated on Xbox.com that “Our vision for Project xCloud, Microsoft’s cloud gaming technology, is to give you the opportunity to play the games you want, with the people you want, anywhere you want.”
After the results of public previews the cloud gaming technology will be coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Players will be able to stream over 100 games from the cloud to Android or tablet devices.
The launch will be a beta for 22 markets around the world; “including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.”
Confirmed titles include Minecraft Dungeons, Destiny 2, Tell Me Why, Gears 5, Yakuza Kiwami 2, and Sea of Thieves. Likewise, Xbox Game Studios that become available on Xbox Game Pass at launch will also be available on through cloud gaming.
From the image with the post (above), we also see Tell Me Why, Grounded, Forza Horizon 4, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, The Outer Worlds, Wasteland 3, F1 2019, ARK: Survival Evolved, Oriand the Blind Forest, State of Decay 2, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Halo Wars 2, Gears of War 4, Halo Wars, Halo 5, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Costume Quest 2, Max, Killer Instinct, Bleeding Edge, The Bard’s Tale Trilogy, Gears of War, Wasteland Remastered, Ryse, Sunset Overdrive, and Quantum Break.
On mobile, players will keep their “gaming profile;” including friends lists, achievements, controller settings, and saved game progress. The cloud will also offer new ways to play in co-op for titles that did not offer local co-op. “Sail off to adventure in Sea of Thieves on your tablet while a friend plays alongside you on console, right in the same room.”
Further, Microsoft announced that they have partnered with Razer, PowerA, 8BitDo, and Nacon to make new peripherals specifically designed for cloud gaming. “These include different types of phone clips that adapt to a wide range of devices, travel controllers that fit in any bag, and exclusive Xbox-branded controllers that split apart and attach to the side of your phone.”
The post also mentions how users can use their Xbox One and PlayStation DualShock 4 controllers via bluetooth. The latter possibly a sly jab at PlayStation’s announcement earlier this week that DualShock 4 controllers would not work with PlayStation 5 games.
Project xCloud launches September 15th for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Previews will continue until September 11th. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is available for $1 USD for the first month, then $14.99 per month after that.
