Back in 2018, Microsoft made an announcement on their upcoming cloud gaming service, which was then referred to as Project xCloud. Through this, a user can play a PC or a console game on any device of their choice, including smartphones and tablets. The service, which later went on to be referred to as simply xCloud, entered its home testing phase in May 2019. The company has also been promoting its video game subscription service called the Xbox Game Pass, for years. Subscription to the Game Pass allows users to play 100+ Xbox console or PC video games, depending on the subscription. Recently, Microsoft announced that the upcoming Xbox Series X controller will be compatible with Android & iOS devices. The Xbox Series X is scheduled for launch in November 2020. This article is on how you can play games on Android with xCloud using the Xbox Game Pass.
Addition of xCloud to the Xbox Game Pass
The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is a premium tier of the Xbox Game Pass, which allows a user to play games on the Xbox One console as well as on their Windows 10 PC. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate combines the Xbox Game Pass for Console and the Xbox Game Pass for PC, along with Xbox Live Gold. You might be thinking that xCloud and Xbox Game Pass are two separate entities but here’s where things get more exciting. Just a few days ago, Microsoft announced that xCloud will also be a part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This means that if you have subscribed to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you will have access to xCloud without any additional cost.
Requirements to play games on Android with xCloud
Before you venture further, you must first know whether you will be able to use xCloud on your phone since the service is currently in beta. Here are the requirements for using xCloud on your phone –
- You would need an Android smartphone. xCloud currently supports only Android devices but has plans to expand the service to iOS smartphones later.
- You must belong to one of these following 22 countries – Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Of course, Microsoft would later expand to other regions but for now, these are the countries that can have access to xCloud.
- You would need a compatible video game controller that needs to be paired with your Android device via Bluetooth.
- You would need a monthly subscription to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If you have not subscribed yet, you can do it by visiting their official website.
- A high-speed internet connection; Wi-Fi or LTE. You need a constant internet connection if you want to play games on your android device using xCloud.
Steps to play games on Android with xCloud using Xbox Game Pass
If you are sure that you meet the requirements for using the xCloud service, follow these steps –
- Since xCloud service is currently in beta, you need to download Xbox Game Pass (Beta) App from PlayStore. The service is fully available on September 15, 2020. Once available, you will be able to access it through the original Xbox Game Pass App. It is also available for download via PlayStore.
- Connect your video game controller and restart the app. If your controller is already connected and the app was opened afterwards, you can skip this step.
- Choose your game. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers quite a big library of various amazing console and PC titles.
- That’s it! Enjoy your favourite game on Android with xCloud!
xCloud is currently on beta
As mentioned above, the xCloud service is currently in beta and is available to users who have subscribed to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Its full release is on September 15, 2020. For now, xCloud is only available for Android devices in 22 countries. However, Microsoft has plans to expand the service for iOS devices and we will probably see more countries added to the current list. As a special promotional offer, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is available for only $1 per month. You read it right, just One Dollar. Now that you know exactly how you can play all the awesome console and PC games on your Android device with xCloud using the Xbox Game Pass, go right ahead and jump into the world of cloud gaming.
How excited are you to play games on Android with xCloud? Let us know in the comment section below!
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