• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Microsoft announces Xbox TV app and its own xCloud streaming stick

onQ123

Member
Microsoft is working with TV manufacturers to make an Xbox app available on devices soon. The software giant is planning to bring its Xbox Game Pass service to TVs through its xCloud streaming technology, opening up more ways to get access to Xbox games. This will be available as both an app on TVs, and with Microsoft’s own dedicated streaming stick.
 

iJudged

Banned
Season 4 Wow GIF by The Office
 

xion4360

Member
they are also adding streaming to the consoles so you can stream games if you dont feel a need to download it, or just to try it. pretty cool.

also they will be upgrading to series X hardware so streaming games will take a big upgrade over the current one s games they are running..
 

Lone Wolf

Member
The TV app could be a big deal. With so many people using the apps on smart TVs, I could see it being popular if they get it on all brands. Very convenient And simple. Partner with major brands and pack in a controller.
 

CeeJay

Member
they are also adding streaming to the consoles so you can stream games if you dont feel a need to download it, or just to try it. pretty cool.

also they will be upgrading to series X hardware so streaming games will take a big upgrade over the current one s games they are running..
Xcloud on console bizarrely is probably something that I will use quite a bit. It's such a first world problem not wanting to download a game on Gamepass to see if i'm going to like it and then choosing not to just in case I don't. :D
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
If done the right way it could be great, Sony feels guilty for pulling the plug on a similar situation (PS Vue) you know the app could be on Roku and Firestick.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
These gadgets will being a giant potential market. who knows how many people will do it.

I wonder how many people going these routes will cannibalize Xbox hardware units as people say streaming is good enough and they save money on a $500 box.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Xcloud on console bizarrely is probably something that I will use quite a bit. It's such a first world problem not wanting to download a game on Gamepass to see if i'm going to like it and then choosing not to just in case I don't. :D
That's what I was thinking too. What would be really slick would be pressing "Play" on a game you don't have installed - and start streaming it while it downloads in the background. Once the download is done it would seamlessly transition to the local version. The same could happen when a new / big patch releases. That sounds like the future.
 
Last edited:

reksveks

Member
These gadgets will being a giant potential market. who knows how many people will do it.

I wonder how many people going these routes will cannibalize Xbox hardware units as people say streaming is good enough and they save money on a $500 box.
Sure there is a Steve Jobs or fake Steve Jobs quote about making sure that if you are going to get cannibalized, you do it to yourself first

One of Job's business rules was to never be afraid of cannibalizing yourself. " If you don't cannibalize yourself, someone else will,
 
Last edited:

CeeJay

Member
That's what I was thinking too. What would be really slick would be pressing "Play" on a game you don't have installed - and start streaming it while it downloads in the background. Once the download is done it would seamlessly transition to the local version. The same could happen when a new / big patch releases. That sounds like the future.
yeah and sounds perfectly possible as well using the quick resume tech. It wouldn't be instant to go from cloud to local but would only take as long as it takes to download the memory dump from the Xcloud blade!
 

Greggy

Member
So, it's a potential that I could get this app on my C9? And xCloud = Gamepass right?
Not all game pass games are on xcloud but I believe the opposite it's true. Some GP games are only on consoles and some (very small sub-set) are only on PC.
I believe it's fair to say that Xcloud = the majority of of the games on GP.
 

McCarth

Member
Not yet, some publishers don't allow games to be played via Xcloud at the moment. I would safely assume all first party games will be fine
That would be absolutely huge for me. I could subscribe to GP for a month, play the exclusives I want once a few are released, then cancel the GP sub. All without needing to buy dedicated hardware.

If I can do that I will absolutely be trying every single MS title this gen once released.
 
That's what I was thinking too. What would be really slick would be pressing "Play" on a game you don't have installed - and start streaming it while it downloads in the background. Once the download is done it would seamlessly transition to the local version. The same could happen when a new / big patch releases. That sounds like the future.
Games already will download the first level separately as a smaller file and download the rest of the game while you play though, so I dunno how much of a benefit this will truly be long term (especially since download speeds only get faster).

I actually wonder why Microsoft is focusing on their own stick though. I would think their goal would be to get xCloud on every streaming stick or device they could. People already have Roku and such hooked up, I would think they would prioritize those and not have people need to get another stick to plug in.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Xcloud could dominate if this rolls out onto a shit load of TVs. I mean my daughter could probably be more than happy playing through the stick on her TV on my account?
 

JLB

Banned
So long. This should have been released many years ago, though now with a more expanded xcloud is even more obvious.
 

Spidey Fan

Banned
Xcloud could dominate if this rolls out onto a shit load of TVs. I mean my daughter could probably be more than happy playing through the stick on her TV on my account?
I kinda hate playing on console for now. Switching the hdmi cable to from ps4 to xbox, then switching it back. turning it on the device, and waiting the game to load. too much work. Once you experience cloud gaming like me, i doubt you will want to touch a console again. its the same thing for 30 fps and 60 fps.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Pretty sure a lot of people knew about this and got it conflated with Series S last year. There was a lot of speculation that the Series S was a streaming stick.
 

JLB

Banned
That's what I was thinking too. What would be really slick would be pressing "Play" on a game you don't have installed - and start streaming it while it downloads in the background. Once the download is done it would seamlessly transition to the local version. The same could happen when a new / big patch releases. That sounds like the future.

Yeah, though I guess that the infrastructure and logistics of this is not trivial, is a no brainer feature.
Sadly I think it will take some time to Xcloud to get released where I live :/
 

nikolino840

Member
That would be absolutely huge for me. I could subscribe to GP for a month, play the exclusives I want once a few are released, then cancel the GP sub. All without needing to buy dedicated hardware.

If I can do that I will absolutely be trying every single MS title this gen once released.
Why only the exclusives if there's a multip. game that month that you have the sub you don't try the game?
 

reksveks

Member
I actually wonder why Microsoft is focusing on their own stick though. I would think their goal would be to get xCloud on every streaming stick or device they could. People already have Roku and such hooked up, I would think they would prioritize those and not have people need to get another stick to plug in.
To probably include the xbox wireless protocol, I would hope they include some additional hardware to local upscaling like the shield tv pro but not sure that's going to be there.
 

CeeJay

Member
That would be absolutely huge for me. I could subscribe to GP for a month, play the exclusives I want once a few are released, then cancel the GP sub. All without needing to buy dedicated hardware.

If I can do that I will absolutely be trying every single MS title this gen once released.
Yeah I think that is part of their plan. How many of you who plan to cancel the sub will decide that you will keep it though once you try it?

It could then have an effect of converting those streaming only subs into buying a console as well...

If you make the barrier to entry low enough then it makes it increasingly harder to not try it! Stadia failed because the barrier to entry was simply not low enough. Quite a few of the Xcloud games are already equipped to play with touch controls on mobile so it wouldn't surprise me if they make it possible to play on the big screen using your phone as the controller so you don't even have to buy an Xbox controller to get started.
 

Real-HipHopGamer

Neo Member

Joey.

Member
Not totally my thing but I could see how its appealing to many others. Just so many less barriers to entry.
Great business move from Xbox IMO.
 

Matt_Fox

Member
I've been saying this for a while...

It's clear which way the wind is blowing. The future of gaming is a screen and a controller. That's it!

Microsoft are well set up with GamePass, and in fact Sony are well set too with their Bravia TVs and the opportunity to bundle the PlayStation app in and cross sell.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Not totally my thing but I could see how its appealing to many others. Just so many less barriers to entry.
Great business move from Xbox IMO.
I'd never bother with it. But for gamers who want to save a buck on hardware and can live with streaming lag or disconnections more power to them. Doesnt seem to affect cell phone gamers messing with any streamed games.
 

CeeJay

Member
I kinda hate playing on console for now. Switching the hdmi cable to from ps4 to xbox, then switching it back. turning it on the device, and waiting the game to load. too much work. Once you experience cloud gaming like me, i doubt you will want to touch a console again. its the same thing for 30 fps and 60 fps.
You have all this expensive kit but only one HDMI cable? :D
 

Greggy

Member
  • Later this year, we’ll add cloud gaming directly into the Xbox app on PC and integrate it into our console experience to light up scenarios like try before you download.
I think this is an assault on Sony's "everything is worth 80$" strategy.
I believe this is what Satya and Phil mean by "democratising" gaming. Basically just subscribe for the time that it takes you beat Hellblade 2 and stream it on your smart tv with a switch controller, for all we care.
Curious to see what this does for MS 5 years fromnow. I think everything is possible.
 
Good that this was announced today. Less bullshit for Sunday and more games.
Exactly what I came to post lol

I saw people mad they were talking about this kind of stuff but I was like yo...this means they don't need to waste time on it during the show. I feel like all companies need to get this type of bull out the way before their actual shows lol
 
Top Bottom