Microsoft is bringing its cloud gaming service to Xbox consoles later year.
The company announced Tuesday that Xbox Cloud Gaming, which lets players stream games rather than having to install them onto a device, would arrive on its new Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles as well as older Xbox One machines this holiday.
Though Microsoft is still investing heavily in Xbox hardware, it’s also putting a great deal of focus into Xbox Game Pass, a subscription service that gives players access to a library of over 100 titles for about $15 a month.
Cloud gaming, where games are hosted on remote servers and streamed to users over the internet, is a big part of Microsoft’s strategy. The aim is to attract gamers to the Microsoft ecosystem through a range of different devices.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is only available on mobile devices and PCs. Now, Microsoft plans to bring it to consoles. It also has a plan to launch cloud gaming on TVs through partnerships with manufacturers and its own dedicated streaming dongles.
Microsoft unveiled the release window for cloud gaming on consoles at the Gamescom video game trade fair. The event normally takes place in Cologne, Germany but has gone online-only this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But the company is mainly touting its blockbuster exclusive games in a bid to lure consumers. Hit franchises like The Last of Us and God of War, for example, can only be found on PlayStation platforms.
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