Xbox is testing the ability to stream games you own over Cloud Streaming, instead of limiting you to titles available in Xbox Game Pass.
The Verge‘s Tom Warren reports that this feature is part of Project Lapland and will be coming to the Xbox Insider program in November, with a wider release planned later on. It is expected to be exclusive to Ultimate subscribers.
Xbox currently allows game streaming only for Game Pass titles, but with this new feature, you can stream your owned games on various devices, including mobile and Amazon TV. Additionally, Xbox is developing standalone apps for smart TVs and a new mobile app merging Xbox and Game Pass functionalities. Although Cloud Streaming still requires a browser, the app offers catalog search and Game Pass perks.
Following a recent ruling in Epic Games’ antitrust battle with Google, Xbox will soon allow direct game purchases on its Android app, bypassing the Play Store’s restrictions on third-party payments.
The court's ruling to open up Google´s mobile store in the US will allow more choice and flexibility. Our mission is to allow more players to play on more devices so we are thrilled to share that starting in November, players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly…
— BondSarahBond (@BondSarah_Bond) October 10, 2024
Xbox has been working on enabling cloud streaming for owned games since the early days of Project xCloud. In both 2019 and 2022, company statements emphasized the vision of allowing gamers to stream their owned or purchased Xbox games through the cloud, a feature that will now be available to Game Pass Ultimate users.
