Xbox Streaming Update: Microsoft’s Phil Spencer Confirms Plan to Roll Out Feature in 2024
Xbox Cloud Gaming users have something to look forward to as Microsoft’s Gaming CEO, Phil Spencer, has confirmed that a highly anticipated feature will soon be available. According to Spencer, users will be able to stream their own games via Xbox Cloud Gaming starting in 2024. This update comes after the original announcement of the feature back in 2019, with the initial plan of rolling it out in the following year. Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming is limited to the Game Pass catalog and select free-to-play titles like Fortnite.
Streaming enthusiasts have been eager for this feature to be added to the Xbox service since its early days. The promise of streaming users’ own games was first made at the X019 event in November 2019, shortly after the public beta launch of Project xCloud in the US, UK, and South Korea. Microsoft stated that users would be able to stream not only Game Pass titles but also “Xbox games that they already own or will purchase” starting in 2020. However, the company only launched xCloud for the Game Pass library in the following year, with Fortnite added later.
Officially, Microsoft has remained silent about the addition of this feature. However, a recent Xbox chat exchange between Phil Spencer and a fan shed some light on the matter. Spencer revealed that the ability to stream purchased games should finally be available in 2024. It is worth noting that streaming one’s own library via Xbox Cloud Gaming will require an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.
Several challenges awaited Microsoft in implementing this highly requested feature. The global pandemic likely slowed down the process, and the company’s cloud gaming ambitions faced regulatory scrutiny after its agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard in early 2022.
Legal considerations, such as licensing agreements with third-party publishers, are also a hurdle Microsoft needs to overcome before allowing users to stream their own game libraries. Platforms like GeForce NOW add new games monthly as agreements are reached, rather than allowing users to stream any game they own.
While fans were hopeful for an announcement of the long-awaited streaming feature during the Official Xbox Podcast on February 15, it seems that it may still be a few months away. Microsoft executives did not mention the feature, suggesting that it won’t be available in the near future.
It’s worth mentioning that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s game subscription service, offering over 100 game titles for a single purchase.
Analyst comment
Positive news: Phil Spencer confirms that a major Xbox Cloud Gaming feature announced half a decade ago is finally planned to roll out soon.
Market analysis: The news of Xbox Cloud Gaming allowing users to stream their own games in 2024 is positive for the market. This feature has been highly anticipated, and its arrival is expected to attract more users to the Xbox service, potentially increasing subscription numbers and driving market growth for Microsoft. However, challenges such as licensing agreements with third-party publishers and the regulatory scrutiny faced by Microsoft may delay the full implementation of the feature.
