Xbox Cloud Gaming is already awesome, but it just got a whole lot more awesome.
Last year, Microsoft removed the beta tag from Xbox Cloud Gaming, as it geared up for the prime time. The service is now available on all tiers of Xbox Game Pass, not just the most expensive tier, and there are strong rumors that it will get a free ad-supported free tier at some point this year.
| Row 10 - Cell 1 | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
Rimworld in particular is a great addition to this list. The survival strategy simulation game is monstrously addictive and has some of the best gamepad controls for a game of its genre. In Rimworld, you're tasked to survive on a frontier planet with little by way of resources and technology. Alien threats, roaming bands of raiders, natural disasters, and other horrible fates await your colonists, and its your task to steer them off planet.
Blasphemous is another huge get, although you'll want to play this on a very stable connection if you try it via Xbox Cloud Gaming. Blasphemous is one of this generation's best and probably most overlooked metroidvania titles, and for me is up there with Hollow Knight and Silksong in quality. It's probably lesser-known owing to its brutal souls-inspired difficulty, but it's worth the punishment and pain. Stick with it. The precise combat might not be the best experience on Xbox Cloud Gaming though, at least until we get those long-rumored Wi-Fi direct controllers.
Finally, Divinity: Original Sin II is an ideal option for those excited about Larian's recent Divinity reveal. This turn-based CRPG walked so Baldur's Gate 3 could run, offering some of the best gameplay depth the genre has to offer on Xbox. Its turn based nature makes it a great shout for latency-susceptible connections.
Microsoft has been working hard to improve Xbox Cloud Gaming. I already mentioned the rumored ad-supported free Xbox Cloud Gaming tier is on the way, and the service also got a 1440p, boosted bitrate option for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members.
However, Microsoft is also testing a totally new Xbox Cloud Gaming interface, shown above, which brings it closer towards 1:1 parity with the Xbox Series X|S console dashboard experience. You can see it in action at the video above. It's very impressive.
Xbox Cloud Gaming still has a ways to go before truly finding a big mainstream audience though, I find. It comes preinstalled on Samsung TVs, has a partnership with LG in some territories, and also is available via Amazon Fire Stick as well.
However, Google and Apple both are blocking a native app on mobile devices, despite court losses in the European Union and United States designed to force the anti-competitive duopoly to open up.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Xbox Cloud Gaming had seen record usage hours in the firm's recent quarterly meeting with shareholders, but it doesn't seem to be accelerating user base growth as much as I imagine Microsoft would like. Perhaps the kids only care about Roblox all up now.
It'll be interesting if Microsoft's upcoming ad-supported free tier can move the needle further for Xbox Cloud Gaming. But for existing Xbox ecosystem users and Game Pass subscribers especially, it's pretty fantastic.
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