Xbox to expand cloud gaming beta to iOS and PC in 2021

Xbox is widening the reach of its in-beta cloud gaming service by bringing it to more platforms and baking it right into the Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

That cloud gaming beta, often known as Project xCloud throughout testing, currently allows players to stream data center-hosted Xbox games to their Android phone or tablet.

Starting in 2021 however, the same will be possible from iOS and PC. For iOS devices, Microsoft is taking a similar route as many other streaming services have by launching through a web browser rather than a streaming-centric app hosted on the iOS App Store.

This likely aims to bypass Apple's restrictive App Store Guidelines on game streaming service that dictate each game hosted on the service must have its own listing on the App Store and, as such, adhere to all App Store policies for updates, content, and revenue.

On PC, the cloud gaming curious will be able to use either the Xbox App or a web browser to play.

At the same time, Xbox has announced that Spring 2021 will bring its cloud gaming services to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, allowing anyone with the combination Xbox Live, Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass PC subscription to also use its cloud gaming technology as well on all supported platforms.

"By adding over a billion devices as a path to playing in the Xbox ecosystem, we envision a seamless experience for all types of players; whether it’s playing Minecraft Dungeons with your Xbox friends using touch controls on an iPhone, or jumping into a Destiny 2: Beyond Light strike on a Surface Pro when you have a break between meetings," reads a blog post from Microsoft Gaming CVP Jerret West.