Previously restricted to just the US and UK, the company’s new streaming feature is now live in all Xbox-one supported countries.
It means that you’ll no longer have to be plonked in front of your at-home console to play that damned Goose game but can instead stream titles that you own directly to your phone or tablet. It’s the company’s answer to Stadia. Sort of.
The preview version launched in a very rough form back in 2015, when it was first made available to anyone on both the Xbox and Windows preview programs. At the time, you could only stream games from your Xbox to a gadget with Windows 10 installed.
Related: Don’t dismiss Google Stadia just yet
Jump forward to 2019 and the Xbox team have rolled out a new version of Console Streaming that can connect with any Android gadget. This is what’s being unleashed on the world today, and lets users stream their Xbox games via a steady Wi-Fi connection or through their phone data.
You still need to be an Xbox Insider to trial the new feature, but users can easily sign up to the program by clicking here. It’s free, but you have to be formally accepted into the Insider fold before you can get your hands on the Beta features.
Speaking earnestly about his time trialling the project, Jonathan Hildebrandt, Principal Program Manager, said: “I’ve been spending a lot of time testing Xbox Console Streaming through our internal employee takehome program… I love being able to game during these moments so I can always stay in touch with my gaming community and make progress through stories that were traditionally tied to my living room.”
Related: Here’s everything we know about Project xCloud so far
The company is also currently trialling a new xCloud streaming service, which works similarly but instead of having access to games installed on your home device you can get access to any game published on the xCloud. The service also lets you connect to the nearest Azure data centre, rather than linking to your Xbox at home, which should improve latency.
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.
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.