Microsoft is still planning to bring its xCloud streaming functionality to PC and iOS devices, and it may be coming sooner than you’d think. A new overview video from Xbox features xCloud Platform VP Kevin LaChapelle dropping a not-too-subtle hint that the rollout is getting close.
The video is formatted as an overview, so most of it reviews the basics of everything we know about the cloud gaming functionality. Near the end, though, it raises the question of cloud gaming on iOS, prompting a response from LaChapelle.
“Oh yes. We’ve already announced that we’re bringing it to iOS and PC early this year. So I won’t give you specific dates, but it’s not–not very far.” In case that wasn’t enough, he visibly winks at the camera.
To be clear, “not very far” could mean a lot of things, from days to weeks. And early 2021 is still a very wide release window that technically covers anytime through June. But the implication is certainly that it’s just around the corner.
Cloud gaming is already available on Android devices, and is bundled with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The functionality has taken longer to come to iOS, at least in part because of Apple’s strict rules for apps from the App Store. That means that when it does come to iOS, it will be through a mobile browser rather than through the dedicated Xbox Game Pass app. The PC version of the service doesn’t face similar hurdles, but it seems as if Microsoft is aiming for its cloud gaming to launch on both at once. Game Pass on PC also recently got a significant boost to its offerings with the addition of the EA Play library.
