• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Microsoft starts testing xCloud integration on Xbox consoles

ManaByte

Member

Microsoft is starting to test its Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) integration with Xbox consoles today. Some Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings will be able to access the xCloud integration today, a feature that lets you click play on an Xbox Game Pass game and stream it immediately.

This new xCloud integration will allow Xbox owners to try games before they fully download them and potentially demo or try before you buy in the future. More than 100 Xbox Game Pass titles will be available as part of this initial xCloud integration, and Xbox players can even jump into multiplayer games as soon as friends send an invite.

Games that are compatible with the xCloud integration will appear with a cloud symbol next to them, indicating you can stream them instantly. Microsoft will support 1080p 60fps streams of games through this integration, just like the regular web streams of Xbox Cloud Gaming. This feature isn’t being positioned as streaming for 4K TVs and more of a try before you download bonus.

Microsoft is starting testing with a “random subset of Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha Insiders” today, and the company will expand to other testers over time. Microsoft has promised xCloud integration will appear on all Xbox consoles by the end of the year, which will mean the Xbox One will be able to eventually stream Xbox Series S / X exclusive games like Microsoft Flight Simulator and The Medium.
 

HeisenbergFX4

Gold Member
The Rock Love GIF by The Kelly Clarkson Show
 

Wooxsvan

Member
i was trying destiny 2 the other day and the Latency is just really bad compared to Stadia. I hope they fix it soon, its really bad atm.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
"This new xCloud integration will allow Xbox owners to try games before they fully download them and potentially demo or try before you buy in the future."

I never thought about using xCloud like that.

Awkward Season 2 GIF by Friends
Sounds good.

Finally a way for gamers to get demos again. Hopefully comes soon.

What a bunch of BS that was start of Xbox One/PS4 era. You'd think with the big trend to digital, demos would be as popular a thing to have just like the 360/PS3 era.

Yet 95% of games havent bothered with a demo like that era.
 
Last edited:

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
If cloud catches on and works well on weaker hardware, this is great news for gamers tired of the next gen console upgrade game.

Kind of like streaming movies. It'll never look as good as running off a BR or 4k disc, and games will have more lag (of unknown amounts) but as long as it gets the job done, thats good enough.

There's a reason why tons of people play streaming cellphone games. It works. Yes I know streaming Candy Crush is different than trying to stream a full budget game at 60 fps, but were getting there. And as I mentioned, not everyone cares about playing COD at 4k at 5 millisecond lag on a new plastic box for $500.
 
Last edited:

Billbofet

Member
I dig this. I never thought of it as demo to try it out before installing.
I would do this on MS Flight Sim. I enjoy the game, but it's just not worth all the space it takes up on my drive. Plus, it is so reliant on streaming data anyway.
Good week for XB services/features.
 

onesvenus

Member
This
This new xCloud integration will allow Xbox owners to try games before they fully download them and potentially demo or try before you buy in the future
and this
Xbox players can even jump into multiplayer games as soon as friends send an invite
are awesome features
 

Topher

Gold Member
If cloud catches on and works well on weaker hardware, this is great news for gamers tired of the next gen console upgrade game.

Kind of like streaming movies. It'll never look as good as running off a BR or 4k disc, and games will have more lag (of unknown amounts) but as long as it gets the job done, thats good enough.

There's a reason why tons of people play streaming cellphone games. It works. Yes I know streaming Candy Crush is different than trying to stream a full budget game at 60 fps, but were getting there. And as I mentioned, not everyone cares about playing COD at 4k at 5 millisecond lag on a new plastic box for $500.

But those cellphone games are not streaming, are they? They are running on the phone.
 
Last edited:

MrFunSocks

Banned
Sounds good.

Finally a way for gamers to get demos again. Hopefully comes soon.

What a bunch of BS that was start of Xbox One/PS4 era. You'd think with the big trend to digital, demos would be as popular a thing to have just like the 360/PS3 era.

Yet 95% of games havent bothered with a demo like that era.
Because demos have been proven to hurt, not help, game sales.
 

Markio128

Member
This option isn’t aimed at me, but I can see the appeal for those who have an Xbox one hardwired to the router And don’t have the funds/means to buy a Series X/S.
 

Great Hair

Banned
try games
potentially demo
try before you buy in the future

Did they mean to offer xCloud "Demos" to those who are not subscribed yet? Everyone who already has gamepass ultimate, this makes no sense. "Demo a already released game on gamepass through xCloud", before playing, downloading it, a game you technically already have paid for (monthly fee)? Isn´t that an oxymoron (sort of)?

Demos = bad sales, too risky (yt video). If we still had demos, 70% of the shit they sell today, would get postponed for a few more months.
 

elliot5

Member
Did they mean to offer xCloud "Demos" to those who are not subscribed yet? Everyone who already has gamepass ultimate, this makes no sense. "Demo a already released game on gamepass through xCloud", before playing, downloading it, a game you technically already have paid for (monthly fee)? Isn´t that an oxymoron (sort of)?

Demos = bad sales, too risky (yt video). If we still had demos, 70% of the shit they sell today, would get postponed for a few more months.
The commentary is that as a current sub, you will be able to try before you download to the console. The latter part of the sentence is that IN THE FUTURE this ability to stream directly from the console, Microsoft may allow you to stream demos of unpurchased/non-game pass games.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Did they mean to offer xCloud "Demos" to those who are not subscribed yet? Everyone who already has gamepass ultimate, this makes no sense. "Demo a already released game on gamepass through xCloud", before playing, downloading it, a game you technically already have paid for (monthly fee)? Isn´t that an oxymoron (sort of)?

Demos = bad sales, too risky (yt video). If we still had demos, 70% of the shit they sell today, would get postponed for a few more months.

It is just a convenience. I can fire up the game on xCloud and see if I like it enough to download it. If I'm browsing through a few games on Game Pass and don't want to download the four or five that I think I might want to try then just stream them. Not really the same as the old demos because there isn't a potential game sale to be missed. Just a rental.
 

Calverz

Member
I think this feature is going to become a killer. I tried this on pc recently and it’s amazing to just select and start playing stuff instantly. I tried gears 5 and it ran great. Felt like no lag. I was nailing active reloads comfortably!
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
How do you know what type of Xbox blade server you are on?
It's smoother; they run the games at 60 or 120FPS which decreases the latency.

It's guessing I suppose, but it's readily apparent to me when trying different games from the same location how vastly different the experience is. 30FPS or sub 30GPS is going to cause much worse control latency.

I think they have other optimizations that reduce latency as well in the Series blades.
 
Last edited:

lefty1117

Gold Member
I have been using xcloud on my PC using the xbox app on occasion ... it's OK, the input lag is real, don't know how they'll ever solve that. But for some types of games it should be just fine. MLB The Show was a no-go however.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
Because demos have been proven to hurt, not help, game sales.
Because developers don't like people knowing their games aren't fun until after they buy them. If XCloud let me stream any game for half an hour to decide whether I want to buy it I'd pay Microsoft money just to have the option.
 

FeldMonster

Member
I am still waiting for them to offer an XCloud subscription separate from GamePass. I would be willing to pay for that, but I refuse to pay for GamePass.
 

MarkMe2525

Gold Member
I am still waiting for them to offer an XCloud subscription separate from GamePass. I would be willing to pay for that, but I refuse to pay for GamePass
I'm trying to understand what your asking for. Do you mean a service like stadia where you pay for the ability to stream games you purchase outright?
 

Hezekiah

Banned
I have been using xcloud on my PC using the xbox app on occasion ... it's OK, the input lag is real, don't know how they'll ever solve that. But for some types of games it should be just fine. MLB The Show was a no-go however.
Don't really understand how it works but I read that they need way more data centres to help reduce the lag.
 

elliot5

Member
I'm trying to understand what your asking for. Do you mean a service like stadia where you pay for the ability to stream games you purchase outright?
That's already planned but I don't think it would add any extra cost, just as part of your game purchase. Maybe a higher tier for better video stream though like stadia
 

elliot5

Member
Well they already let you download a game you haven't purchased through the app. So...
yeah but you can't access it. I doubt publishers would want Microsoft to just let users play 20 minutes of some game via xCloud as some blanket policy
 

Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
i was trying destiny 2 the other day and the Latency is just really bad compared to Stadia. I hope they fix it soon, its really bad atm.
I remember a time when gamers said Stadia would never overcome the latency issues...

1/ It did for 90% of the games and praised as the best tech among cloud services.
2/ Step by step our internet speed are getting better
3/Google will even more reduce latency by adding new servers.(mine isn't in my own country but i already have ultra responsive experience)
4/Engineers are working on new methods to optimize speed, IQ...


The only tech with very mixed results and mediocre reputation is Xcloud (it's more or less saved by gamepass for the overall experience).
Nonetheless, even the worst tech will be bearable before 2025 because cloud gaming is too important for the big tech. Maybe not today, but for years to come, it's a given...
 

Wizz-Art

Member
The only tech with very mixed results and mediocre reputation is Xcloud (it's more or less saved by gamepass for the overall experience).

Actually, Xcloud is still in Beta but it's working flawlessly for over a year now for me (on my smartphone on a 4G network by T-Mobile) and plenty of other Neogaf members as you can see by the comments, don't know how you come up with "mediocre reputation".

In the meantime I've also been playing the game Omno through Xcloud on my XSX and the first two levels worked brilliantly and then I got this pop-up that for my case it's likely better to install the game so I did press the OK download now option, continued with the game and after awhile I got this pop-up that the game is installed. Really an amazing experience and people who aren't in the Alpha ring, you're in for a treat when it launches outside the preview program!
 

Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
Actually, Xcloud is still in Beta but it's working flawlessly for over a year now for me (on my smartphone on a 4G network by T-Mobile) and plenty of other Neogaf members as you can see by the comments, don't know how you come up with "mediocre reputation".

Some people have flawless results, other have shitty experience.(that's why i said mixed)

Xcloud hasn't a bad tech, the problem is rivals have better ones.

Overall, Stadia has the best reputation, then GFN, PS Now. Most of the time Xcloud is the least popular tech on the internet. (but the most popular games due to Gamepass)
 
Last edited:

elliot5

Member

Some people have flawless results, other have shitty experience.(that's why i said mixed)

Xcloud hasn't a bad tech, the problem is rivals have better ones.

Overall, Stadia has the best reputation, then GFN, PS Now. Most of the time Xcloud is the least popular tech on the internet. (but the most popular games due to Gamepass)
I think xCloud gets more negative experience feedback because it's most popular (presumably) not necessarily that it's definitively worse than psnow or gfn
 

Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
I think xCloud gets more negative experience feedback because it's most popular (presumably) not necessarily that it's definitively worse than psnow or gfn
Could be the case for PS Now but i doubt about it for GFN (there are far more GFN users than PS Now because there are 1000 games, free version and more users according to the latest datas.
 
Top Bottom