Microsoft officially launched Xbox Cloud Gaming for iPhone, iPad, and Windows 10 PCs recently. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play around 50 games in 22 countries, excluding India. Catherine Gluckstein, Vice President and Head of Product, Xbox Cloud Gaming revealed the same in an official blog post.
“Starting today, Xbox Cloud Gaming is available to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets, via browser, across 22 countries. If you’re a member or want to become a member, simply go to xbox.com/play on Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Safari on your PC or mobile device to start playing hundreds of games from the Xbox Game Pass library,” read the post.
Microsoft has been upgrading their datacenters around the globe with the fastest, most powerful Xbox hardware to provide faster load times with improved frame rates, and an experience of a new generation of gaming.
To ensure the lowest latency, highest quality experience across the broadest set of devices, they will be streaming at 1080p and up to 60fps. Going forward they will continue to innovate and add more features to enhance your cloud gaming experience.
“When you’re streaming games on a PC or mobile device, your game is playing from Xbox hardware in a Microsoft datacenter. This means you can jump into a game, connect with your friends, and play through the Xbox network just as you’ve always done,” added the post.
Indian Cloud gaming scene
India’s gaming space is moving fast however it is not yet ready fully for cloud gaming because of faulty internet speed and infrastructure. As per KPMG 2021 report with the proposed launch of 5G services, cloud gaming has the potential to transform the gaming experience for a mass of users, taking device capabilities out of the picture. This is especially important for markets like India, with limited capacity to invest in hardware.
Cloud gaming will annul the hindrances of gaming in restrictive devices , which means if you play on games on mobile with cloud gaming subscription you will be able to play PC or console games on mobile without worrying the storage space. Since India is known as the mobile first country, India gamers are also eagerly waiting for cloud gaming to revolutionise the gaming ecosystem.
Going forward, subscription-based models could gain share in the mobile based casual gaming markets globally and in India, with the advent of 5G, cloud-based gaming fits best in the model. In the Indian, cloud gaming is at a nascent stage, but could see traction once 5G hits Indian shores.
Microsoft steps to bring Cloud gaming in India
The big giants yet to revolutionise the cloud gaming space in India however naming few Indian cloud gaming operators like The Gaming Project, Now.gg, Flentas Technology and so on are already existing in India with affordable subscription plan.
Earlier in March 2020 as per Mako Reactor report Microsoft has officially partnered with Reliance Jio to bring cloud gaming for Indians. A Microsoft spokesperson confirms in the report that, “Yes, we confirmed the news of our intent to bring Project xCloud to Indian gamers with Reliance Jio as part of our Future Decoded event in Mumbai in late February.” Later Microsoft told Digit, “We are excited to bring the Project xCloud preview to India later this year and learn from the great Indian gaming community. We are exploring our options with Jio but have nothing further to share at this time.”
Its been more than a year that Microsoft hinted it will launch for Indian gamers too but yet there’s no update on the developments. Now the whole scenario seems signaling that as soon as 5G will commercially launch in India, sooner cloud gaming will set sail in India. Recently, a government official told BusinessLine: “The 5G network would start around August next year and the PM may launch it officially on August 15. The major surprise of the launch will be that you will find a lot of Indian technology – be it in hardware or software – in it. As you are aware, India is very strong in software, so many technologies will be dependent on our local software companies. They will be the backbone.”
Since India’s market size is huge it will be interesting to see how the gaming sector will level up with the entrance of cloud gaming giants.