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10 best Xbox Cloud Gaming titles with touch controls
These Xbox Game Pass games work great with just a touchscreen when streamed through xCloud
Despite the demise of Google Stadia and the less responsive reception of PlayStation Now, Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service has become a gold standard for cloud game streaming since introducing xCloud in 2020, especially with the 1080p update. Thanks to Microsoft being a frontrunner for cloud gaming, xCloud is light years ahead for streaming console-quality games on Android devices.
The best entertainment apps on Android in 2024
Explore the various ways to keep yourself occupied with these entertainment apps on Android
At this point, Android smartphones have made it nearly impossible to be bored. Spending time navigating the Google Play Store, there are thousands of entertainment apps available for use. There's something for just about anyone, from various video and audio streaming platforms to editorial and games. You don't even have to worry if you're using a budget device, either, as many of these entertainment apps don't require high-end Android phones or tablets to operate.
Amazon hops on the cloud gaming bandwagon with its own Stadia competitor
It's available on Fire TV, Mac, Windows, and iPhone & iPad — but not Android
Streaming video games is the hot new thing; everybody's doing it. Google launched Stadia last year, and Microsoft took xCloud live just a week or two ago. Now Amazon is getting in on the fun, and it has some unique tricks up its sleeve — get ready to meet Luna, a new cloud gaming service from Amazon.
Stream games from your console to your phone with the latest Xbox app beta
Plus a new notification hub and profile pinning features
Microsoft formally launched its xCloud game streaming service last week, allowing users to stream console games right from their Android phones — and Android TVs, even if unofficially. Now the company is releasing a big update for the Xbox mobile app that includes brand new features, including the ability for everyone to stream console games to their phones with Xbox remote play.
Microsoft won't let you stream Xbox games to Android TV or Chromebooks
Time to buy an HDMI dongle for your phone
Read update
Xbox Game Streaming officially launched yesterday, allowing you to stream nearly 200 Xbox games to your Android phone or tablet. The service has yet to launch on any other platforms, and Microsoft is sticking hard to the mobile requirement — despite their ability to run Android apps, both Chromebooks and Android TV are unsupported.
These are the Xbox games you can start streaming to your Android phone tomorrow
Stadia isn't the only option for game streaming on Android
Last month we learned that xCloud, Microsoft's cloud gaming service, would be coming to Android on September 15. On the verge of public availability, we've now learned the full list of games that will be playable on Android devices starting tomorrow. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will gain access to over 150 games, with some exciting (and surprising) titles.
Apple establishes ridiculous requirements for Stadia and Xbox Game Streaming on iOS
Apple's going for the 'most anti-competitive company' speedrun
Apple's draconian App Store policies have been criticized time and time again, and most recently, they led to a lawsuit by Epic Games. The company also recently blocked game streaming services like Google Stadia and Xbox Game Streaming from entering the App Store. Apple has now updated its policies to allow game streaming services, but only if they go through many hoops.
PC and console EA games are coming to Android, thanks to Xbox Game Streaming
The artist formerly known as Microsoft xCloud
Xbox Game Streaming (formerly known as xCloud) is shaping up to be one of the best game streaming services around, and after the platform's recent ban from the Apple App Store, Android will be its only mobile home. Later this year, the service will have even more games from publisher Electronic Arts, thanks to a new partnership between the two companies.
Microsoft xCloud's public beta starts today
You'll need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to try the cloud gaming service
Last week, we reported Microsoft's game streaming service xCloud would launch on September 15 and that it would initially require an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Although there's still more than a month left until the service officially becomes available, Microsoft is allowing people to beta test it starting today.
Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud won't come to iOS due to App Store rules
Cloud gaming services will likely stay Android-only
Google has stayed quiet about bringing its Stadia game streaming platform to iOS, even though the game library application has been available on the App Store for a while now. Meanwhile, Microsoft has been testing its xCloud competitor on iOS, but now it seems neither product will see a full release on Apple's mobile devices.
Microsoft launches its Stadia competitor xCloud on September 15, details custom touch controls
It will only be available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers at first
Last month, Microsoft announced a big round of updates regarding the future of its gaming strategy, giving us more details on its upcoming Xbox Series X and backward compatibility. The company also gave some attention to its cross-platform Stadia competitor, xCloud (our comparison here). Microsoft is finally getting ready to launch the service and has shared that it'll come September 15 as part of the existing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which costs $14.99 a month. The Xbox developers have also shown off some game-specific touch controls, developed in cooperation with the respective studio.
8Bitdo is making an officially licensed, SNES-style controller for Microsoft's xCloud game streaming service
It's about the same as the existing SN30 Pro — but, you know, Xbox-er
8Bitdo is pretty well known for its modern-but-retro-styled Bluetooth controllers. They're a favorite among the AP staff and a good choice for folks big into emulation. The company is adapting one of its best-selling game controllers specifically for Microsoft's Stadia-like upcoming xCloud game streaming service. The new controller is a tweaked version of the existing SN30 Pro, with a new Xbox-friendly color scheme and explicit Microsoft xCloud compatibility.According to The Verge, 8Bitdo isn't just pushing out a licensed and branded version of its existing product, the company has worked together with Microsoft to make it "fully functional with xCloud." It will also support 8bitdo's existing Ultimate Software, which lets you remap buttons and adjust things like trigger and stick sensitivity, with support for multiple profiles. (Hopefully, they can release an Android app with the same functionality — it's a little annoying having to use your computer to change these settings.)
Google hasn't announced Stadia in a vacuum; game streaming services have been in the works for years, with varying degrees of success. The technology to provide virtually lag-free, high-end graphics over miles of cables and Wi-Fi networks has only recently become robust enough. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Microsoft on Tuesday announced the public preview of its own remote gaming service xCloud, available starting next month.
Samsung's PlayGalaxy Link game streaming service is shutting down after only 3 months
Microsoft's xCloud will be coming to Galaxy phones instead
After coming to light last summer and going live in December 2019, Samsung's PC to phone game streaming platform PlayGalaxy Link is already not long for this world. Only three months into its beta, Samsung has announced that the service will be shut down on March 27.
How Google Stadia stacks up against Microsoft xCloud
We pit Stadia and Project xCloud against one another in the ultimate cloud gaming showdown
Countless companies have fallen in pursuit of building the perfect cloud gaming service, making the idea seem more like a distant dream than a feasible reality. However, as advancements in connectivity and processing power have reached new heights, the cloud gaming segment may finally be ready for prime time — at least that's what Google and Microsoft are promising. We pitted early iterations of Stadia and Project xCloud against one another to see how they measure up on the way to the cloud gaming revolution.
GDC 2019 has been one of more the exciting instances that I can recall in recent memory. Not only have there been some tantalizing game announcements – seriously, I freaked when I saw the Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 trailer – but some interesting happenings in the game space itself. Google announced Stadia, the follow-up to last year's Project Stream. Yet not to be outdone, Microsoft decided to shed some light on its upcoming cloud gaming platform and Stadia competitor, xCloud.