Microsoft announces Project xCloud game streaming service.
The preview of the service will go live in October this year.
With only a day left to go for this year's E3 event to start in Los Angeles, California, Microsoft announced at the Xbox briefing its new game streaming service. Named Project xCloud, the cloud-based video game streaming service will allow Xbox One users to play their existing games remotely on PCs, tablets, and smartphones. According to Microsoft, the new service will roll out in preview by October this year. When it goes live, Project xCloud will be up against competing game streaming services like Google's recently announced Stadia and Sony's PlayStation Now.
According to Microsoft's blog post on the matter, over 3,000 titles that are currently available on Xbox One will be available for remote gameplay on Project xCloud when the service goes live later this year. Microsoft is currently planning to conduct public trails of Project xCloud. The maker of the popular Xbox gaming console will make the service available globally using its widespread presence of Azure servers. According to Microsoft, game streaming using Project xCloud should be possible over a 4G network. “Currently, the test experience is running at 10 megabits per second,” adds Microsoft.
“We are testing Project xCloud today. The test runs on devices (mobile phones, tablets) paired with an Xbox Wireless Controller through Bluetooth, and it is also playable using touch input. The immersive nature of console and PC games often requires controls that are mapped to multiple keys, buttons, sticks and triggers. We are developing a new, game-specific touch input overlay that provides maximum response in a minimal footprint for players who choose to play without a controller,” wrote Microsoft in its blog post.
At the Game Developers Conference in March, Google announced the official name of its game streaming platform. Named Stadia, it differs from Project xCloud in some ways. The biggest difference right now is that Stadia works independently of any proprietary game consoles. Project xCloud, on the other hand, works in conjunction with an Xbox One console. Google recently announced that Stadia would go live in November for $10 (Rs 700 approx) a month with additional game purchases. Microsoft has yet to announce a price for Project xCloud.
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