What you need to know
- Microsoft soon expands its Xbox One game-streaming platform, Project xCloud, to 11 new countries in Western Europe.
- Project xCloud registration for Android is live for users in the 11 upcoming regions.
- Microsoft is slowing its rollout to "help conserve internet access," in response to current world events.
Microsoft has detailed its latest plans to expand Project xCloud, ongoing pre-release trials for its Xbox One game streaming service, currently targeting Android and iOS devices. The cloud-based endeavor has steadily rolled out over the past six months, scaling availability of its low-latency video technology across new regions, via a limited pool of testers. Microsoft has now outlined an upcoming milestone for its roadmap, hitting 11 new countries in Western Europe.
Project xCloud registration is now live via the Xbox website, accepting Android applications for the new European regions for the chance of an opportunity to play. While iOS testing remains underway among a select pool of users, and with Windows PC compatibility on the horizon, initial tests appear to target Android devices exclusively. The usual hardware requirements also translate, demanding Android 6.0 and Bluetooth 4.0, with an Xbox Project xCloud-compatible controller via Bluetooth.
Project xCloud trials will soon commence in following 11 countries across Western Europe for those invited to the ongoing preview:
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Spain
- Sweden
While Microsoft appears ready to expand Project xCloud, it stresses that current world events have caused complications for the rollout. With internet demand up across the globe, we've seen several services adapting to reduce bandwidth usage during well-documented network strain.
"With that in mind, we continue to evaluate the COVID-19 situation and will begin rolling out the Project xCloud preview across 11 Western European countries when we are confident it is sensible to do so," states Catherine Gluckstein, head of product on Project xCloud. "We will take a measured approach to help conserve internet access, beginning the preview in each market with a limited number of people and adding more participants over time."
The expansion to Project xCloud sticks to Microsoft's 2020 roadmap announced last November, also set to explore Japan and India later in the year. The 11 new countries over triple the current lineup, comprised of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and South Korea.
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