There has been a waiting game to see just who would come out with a service that would mimic Netflix’s-style streaming movies but for video games. Sony has been dabbling with the idea through their PlayStation Now service but with the limited access to current-generation of video game titles, there have been some still hesitant of joining in. Microsoft is now stepping up to plate with the upcoming launch of its Project xCloud.
Speaking with The Verge, Xbox head Phil Spencer offered some insight into the current status of the service. This is a streaming platform from Microsoft in which players could stream games, but it looks like the content available will offer current-generation video game title releases. This service has been tested for a good little while and now it looks like the push is to get this service out to the public fully in September.
“Over time we will continue to expand how we introduce streaming as part of the platform, and playing games that you own that aren’t part of the subscription. For the launch, we’re putting it in Ultimate for no additional cost. We think it’s a good audience for us to start with, and it’s an audience that plays a lot of games.”
The service will be attached to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate which is a service that connects Xbox Live along with Xbox Game Pass. This subscription service will set players back $14.99 a month but soon it will include the streaming platform for players to enjoy 100 Xbox Game Pass titles through streaming the content on either smartphones or tablets. We’re sure that this will not be tied behind the specific subscription service offered currently, but for the time being, it does look like this will at least get the service out there to a pool of users immediately come September.
Furthermore, it does look like Microsoft is going to bring out more information regarding Project xCloud prior to September. After all, we’re wanting to see just what devices will soon be available to stream the content, and what video game titles may be coming out for players to enjoy. With Game Pass already offering plenty of first-party video game titles at launch, it would be an interesting move to see this also bleed over to the Xbox Series X while also being available to those that subscribe to the streaming service.