You can now play some of the best Xbox games ever on an iPhone. Microsoft has announced its Project xCloud game streaming service has launched in preview on for Apple iOS devices.
Compatible iPad and iPhone owners enrolled in Apple’s TestFlight program for beta apps can now sign-up to trial the forthcoming Xbox service, which aims to bring console-quality games to any screen.
The long-awaited launch on iOS comes following rollouts on Android last year. However, the scope is a little more limited here, with App Store policy restricting Microsoft to offering just one title – Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Thanks for nothing, Apple!
However, for those in the UK, US or Canada still hoping to sign up and see what all the fuss is about, you’ll need to tick a couple of boxes:
You’ll need need a Microsoft account associated with an Xbox gamertag and an iPhone or iPad running iOS 13.0 and above, for starters. The iOS device will also need at least Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities, in order to connect to an Xbox One Wireless Controller.
There are also just 10,000 spaces available for the public preview, as is standard with TestFlight builds of apps, and Microsoft says those signing up will be invited on a first come first serve basis. You can start the sign-up process here.
The Project xCloud preview for Android offers a massive range of of titles, including some of the best Xbox One gamers ever released. However, it looks like iOS users will have to wait for the official launch in order to access the full library.
Head of Xbox Live, Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hyrb said in a blog post: “Our goal is to provide an opportunity to test the Project xCloud preview through TestFlight, use your feedback to improve the technology, and work with Apple to bring the full preview to more iOS customers. Jump in, play and tell us about your experience!”
Microsoft hasn’t revealed precisely when xCloud will come out of beta, but we’d hope it would be before the end of the year. It may even coincide with the release of the Xbox Series X games console.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.