Microsoft's xCloud game streaming service is edging closer to launch as images and videos from the as-yet-unreleased app and service appeared online.
The upgraded Xbox Game Streaming app for Windows PCs will allow direct game streaming between Xbox Series X and S console and Windows PCs for the first time, a service currently unavailable—but heavily requested.
Microsoft xCloud Game Streaming for Windows
The news that you'll be able to stream games from the new Xbox consoles direct to your Windows PC will please many gamers. It comes as Microsoft revealed that a version of the Xbox Game Streaming app is coming to web browsers, making it easier to stream your games on the go or just to another device in your house.
The new Xbox Game Streaming app will allow Windows users to stream between their new Xbox Series X and S consoles and their PCs without using the web browser version. As reported by The Verge, direct streaming between the consoles and a Windows PC is currently unsupported by the existing Xbox Console Companion app. Still, the new version will make streaming possible.
The updated version of the app will also include full touch support on streaming devices, plus you have all the other home comforts of the existing app, such as remote wake for a linked Xbox.
As yet, there is no specific timeline for the release of the upgraded xCloud app for Windows PCs. However, you can see the new app in action in the following tweet:
Streaming appears relatively smooth, and the UI and overall experience closely match the Xbox interface and design. Microsoft is attempting to unify the user experience as much as possible, creating a single easy-to-use game streaming platform.
xCloud Server Upgrades for 2021?
With the xCloud app's impending launch for Windows PCs, thoughts now turn to the xCloud servers. Currently, many games are restricted to 720p gameplay. Streaming at a low resolution helps with bandwidth and increases streaming quality, but at the detriment of in-game visual fidelity.
There are reports that Microsoft is set to upgrade the xCloud streaming servers to allow 1080p gameplay, pushing the quality up in time for PC users.
Windows Central shared a screenshot displaying the game Hellblade running in 1080p, sent from a "trusted source." The image contains the developer overlay displaying the resolution and network information, showing the game running at a higher resolution.
It's the right time for Microsoft to upgrade its xCloud servers. Games are designed to run in 1080p, and while the reduction in resolution is a handy option, gamers want to experience their games in their true format for maximum enjoyment.