Huge news for Xbox gamers with iPhones or iPads: Xbox Cloud Gaming is now officially available to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members on Windows 10 PCs and Apple iPhone or iPads, via browser, across 22 countries.
Catherine Gluckstein, vice president at Xbox Cloud Gaming, posted the news on Xbox’s website, adding, “Simply put, we’re bringing the Xbox experience directly to the devices you use most.”
The news effectively removes the iOS fly in the ointment regarding Microsoft’s Xbox cloud gaming service, which launched on 15th September 2020 (with the working title Project xCloud) but, until 28th June, only gave Android phone users access to titles from the Xbox Game Pass library on their phone or tablet, leaving Apple iPhone and iPad gamers out in the cold.
Last year, Xbox boss Phil Spencer urged iPhone owners not to abandon hope, saying, “We’re committed to bringing Game Pass to all mobile phones out there, including Apple phones,” and he has clearly made good on that promise.
Xbox began trialling the support rollout in April, sending invites to select Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to start testing the Xbox Cloud Gaming limited beta for Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets via web browser. Invitees were invited to play over 100 Xbox Game Pass titles through Edge, Google Chrome, or Safari, and it seems user feedback was positive.
Xbox says it is also making significant improvements to its overall user experience: Xbox Cloud Gaming is now powered by custom Xbox Series X hardware. To try to provide the lowest latency across the broadest set of devices, Xbox will be streaming at 1080p and up to 60fps.
Cloud gaming promises seamless play across your devices. When you’re streaming games on a PC or mobile device, your game is playing from Xbox hardware in a Microsoft datacenter. This means you can jump into a game, connect with your friends, and play through the Xbox network just as you’ve always done. So, your game saves are the same wherever and whenever you play – you can pick up from where you left off.
Gluckstein suggests grabbing your PC to stream Outriders or Doom on your iPad using your saved game, then, when you have a free half-hour, you can fire up xbox.com/play and get a game in on MLB The Show 21.
If you’re a Game Pass Ultimate member (or want to become a member) simply go to xbox.com/play on Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Safari on your PC or mobile device to start playing hundreds of games from the Xbox Game Pass library.
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