Android
Here’s Forza Horizon 4 running on an Android phone through Microsoft’s xCloud
Public trials are expected to start this year.
Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.
We’ve been getting some juicy tidbits of information here and there regarding Microsoft’s game streaming service xCloud, but thanks to the Inside Xbox show last night, we actually got to see the service in action.
With xCloud, gamers should theoretically be able to play their Xbox games anywhere a stable network connection is available (maybe even on Nintendo Switch!). It means that Microsoft’s servers handle all the heavy lifting, allowing you to play on devices that shouldn’t be able to power the games.
Check out Forza Horizon 4 running on an Android phone with xCloud
While it looks really good, we’ll need to see just how well it works in real-world environments. Internet connections can still be pretty sketchy for everyday users when it comes to consistent speeds and I’m interested to see if 4G (and 5G) will be able to handle streaming the titles.
There could also be issues with latency since technically the game is registering your controller movements, sending that back to Microsoft, and then putting those actions on screen. In competitive titles where every second counts, it could definitely pose a problem.
Even so, just the fact that we’re having this discussion and seeing what it looks like in action is an exciting prospect for gaming and how we’ll game in the years to come. If you’re interested in Project xCloud, Kareem Choudhry, Microsoft head of gaming cloud, notes that the company will begin public trials for the service this year.
What do you think? Interested in cloud gaming and Project xCloud? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
Editors’ Recommendations:
- Fortnite introduces a new vehicle and forces Xbox and PlayStation players to play together
- Review: Devil May Cry 5 – One hell of a great sequel
- Epic Games founder looks to lead change in the games industry
- There’s a new Shenmue 3 trailer and it gives a glimpse at actual gameplay
- Google’s patent for its game controller notes some interesting features