Summary
Microsoft has been making a big push for the idea that owning a console isn’t actually necessary to enjoyXboxgames, but despite the appeal of the concept, there’s still a big roadblock in the way of it being completely viable in practice. Although Microsoft is still competing in the console market with the Xbox Series X/S, it’s also diversified across platforms in a way that Sony hasn’t. Xbox titles are consistently available on PC, and cloud gaming options have made them available even on hardware that wouldn’t be able to handle the games locally.
The most recentaddition to the Xbox familyof options is the Xbox app for the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, a fairly common device to facilitate streaming and entertainment options on PC. It isn’t the first instance of Xbox Cloud Gaming appearing on a Smart TV ecosystem, with Samsung’s family of TVs based around the company’s Tizen OS debuting the feature in 2022. It does represent a significant expansion for the program, however, making it possible to set up Xbox Cloud Gaming on any television with a device that costs a lot less money than a new set.
10 Best Local Co-Op & Split-Screen Games On Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass has a massive library of games to play, but there are some particularly well-suited for local, split-screen multiplayer.
Xbox Cloud Gaming Isn’t As Good As Owning An Xbox
Input Lag Just Isn’t A Competitive Way To Play
It would obviously be nice if it was really that easy to get a console-level experience without actually owning an Xbox, but in practice, it’s just really not the case. Even considering an ideal set-up with stable, fast fiber-optic internet access,Xbox Cloud Gaming still features significantly more input lag than playing games nativelyon Xbox hardware.
Streaming services generally have to make certain compromises to maintain stable broadcasts, and even something like watching a show on Netflix comes at a significant cost to video compression compared to a Blu-Ray disc. With games, both video quality and latency have to be taken into account. A high-quality video signal doesn’t travel instantly from its source to its destination over an Internet connection, and any noticeable delay between pressing a button and seeing it register on screen can make games both more difficult and less satisfying to play.
I’m Worried Game Pass Is Killing Xbox
Game Pass remains an incredible service and Xbox’s flagship product, but I’m worried it’s incompatible with modern AAA game development.
Latency isn’t a deal-breaker forcozy gaming or any casual experiences(although video compression can still make the experience worse than playing on Xbox hardware), buttrying to play a competitive FPS or fighting game can be an inherently uphill battle. This stipulation doesn’t destroy the total appeal of Xbox Cloud Gaming, but that’s all considering what’s essentially a best case scenario, and looking at other situations proves how situational its utility can be.
Cloud Gaming Doesn’t Solve Accessibility Challenges
Restricted Internet Options & Financial Challenges
A big part of Xbox Cloud Gaming’s appeal is the way it theoretically increases accessibility, as situations that might get in the way of owning a console shouldn’t have to apply. In practice, however, botheconomic and geographical barriers can easily make it difficult to use effectively. With a less stable internet connection, input lag and stream quality can quickly go from annoyances that are more or less acceptable to problems that make games fundamentally unplayable.
Xbox Cloud Gaming also requires an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, whichjust increased in priceto $19.99 a month, further restricting its accessibility.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is still considered a beta feature, and Microsoft should be able to keep improving its weak points as time goes on. There’s no way around the fact that streaming inevitably introduces some additional latency, however, so there’s no way for it to replace console hardware entirely for competitive gamers.Digital access to media has also proven highly unreliable, with licensing issues and corporate whims frequently leading to content being pulled from digital libraries and making the case for the continued value of physical media as an option.
Plenty of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users are getting their money’s worth out of Xbox Cloud Gaming, and the fact that it’s an option is certainly good. The push for a future that doesn’t focus on console hardware hasn’t yet made a convincing enough case, however, and relying solely on cloud gaming still seems unlikely to be the best option for mostXboxfans.
