Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers have long been able to stream games to various devices, but the feature is getting a major upgrade. Prior to today, subscribers were only able to stream games available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. However, now users will also be able to stream select games that they own, as well. The selection will be limited at the start, and a Game Pass Ultimate subscription and controller will be required. However, this will allow players to start streaming their games to devices like smartphones, PCs, and Amazon Fire Stick.
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Xbox has released a new trailer, highlighting how the new feature works. In the video below, we can see Game Pass Ultimate subscribers accessing their games on various compatible devices. The idea being that this will offer a lot more freedom to players that want to access their library when it might not otherwise be convenient.
Unfortunately, not all games will support this feature from the start. Xbox has kicked things off with a selection of 50 titles that can be streamed as long as the game itself is owned by the player. Some of these titles include Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Balatro, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, Final Fantasy XIV Online, Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat 1, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and Star Wars Outlaws. It seems like Xbox focused on enabling the feature for high-profile games, as opposed to older options. However, the company has said that the list will grow as time goes on, and it will be interesting to see what titles end up supported.
Select streamed games on PC will support mouse and keyboard support. Unfortunately, none of these games currently offer touch controls, so if you do want to play on your mobile device, you’re going to have to link up a controller to do so. That could change in the future; a lot of Game Pass Ultimate games offer touch controls, but that option goes away once the game has been removed from the service. Xbox should allow Game Pass Ultimate users on mobile to continue using that option if they buy the game. Hopefully that becomes a priority as Xbox continues to refine and improve the streaming of owned games.
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Over the last few years, Microsoft has been pushing the idea that anything that can play Xbox games should be considered an Xbox. Building out Cloud Streaming has become a way for the company to get more people playing its games, and possibly subscribing to Game Pass. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will actually work, but at the very least, it’s expanding the options available to existing Game Pass subscribers. That’s definitely a good thing, and the service is getting a lot better as a result.
Are you happy about this change to Xbox Cloud Gaming? Do you plan on using this feature to stream your games? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!