Microsoft is reportedly set to significantly expand Xbox Cloud Gaming’s capabilities next month, introducing the ability for Xbox players to stream any of their purchased games.
To date, Xbox Cloud Gaming’s streaming features have only been available across a select number of Game Pass titles, but Microsoft has long had ambitions to enable players to stream any game they own. And that feature, The Verge now writes, is nearly here.
Citing “sources familiar with [the company’s] plans”, The Verge says Microsoft will introduce the ability to stream “thousands” of Xbox titles – not just those available via Game Pass – starting in November, as part of a long-running internal initiative known as Project Lapland.
It’s a feature that was reportedly originally due to launch as part of Project xCloud back in 2020, but one that’s been repeatedly “complicated by having to prepare key infrastructure for thousands of games”. And even with the feature now supposedly close to launch, it’s said “some” publishers will still hold certain games back “due to licensing requirements or deals”.
According to The Verge, the ability for players to stream any game in their Xbox library through Xbox Cloud Gaming will initially launch for Xbox Insider testing at some point in November, and will then be expanded to more users and more games.
The claim follows this week’s news it’ll soon be possible to purchase Xbox games via the Xbox App on Android devices in the US – a move that would dovetail nicely with expanded Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming capabilities for mobile users.