TECHNOLOGY

Enhancing Xbox Cloud Gaming: What's Next?

Seattle, WA, USA,Fri Oct 18 2024
Xbox Cloud Gaming might soon see improvements in bitrate, which means better picture quality. This service, previously known as Project XCloud, has been behind competitors like NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Boosteroid in terms of resolution and quality. Microsoft is planning to take steps to improve bitrates, but there's no news yet on increasing the resolution from 1080p. Additionally, latency improvements might require upgrading server hardware, and that doesn't seem to be happening soon. A developer who created Better XCloud, an app to enhance the XCloud experience, has hinted at two upcoming features. One is Xbox Together, a browser-based way to play games with friends, which might not see a public release. The other is a direct-to-cloud controller that could reduce latency, similar to the Google Stadia controller. Microsoft is working hard on Xbox Cloud Gaming to reach a larger audience beyond consoles and PCs. Recently, they announced that popular Call of Duty games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, and Call of Duty: Warzone will be available for cloud streaming for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

questions

    Are the server hardware upgrades just another ploy to collect more data on users?
    Is Xbox Cloud Gaming finally going to look as good as a low-quality Snapchat filter?
    How do the announced improvements align with Microsoft's long-term strategy for Xbox Cloud Gaming?

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