HomeNewsMicrosoft's Vision: Xbox Access on Every Screen - Progress Update

Microsoft’s Vision: Xbox Access on Every Screen – Progress Update

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The primary issue with cloud gaming is not bandwidth, but latency. Video games rely heavily on instant feedback, and while some may tolerate slight delays, anything more than half a second between input and action can render even the most patient games unplayable.

This challenge became evident when testing Xbox Cloud Gaming on an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max. On paper, this $60 streaming device, combined with a Bluetooth Xbox controller, provides a highly accessible entry into Xbox gaming, allowing users to stream games from the cloud to any device with an HDMI input.

However, in practice, input lag proved to be problematic. While attempting to play Starfield on the Fire TV, non-combat activities were manageable, but combat scenarios felt akin to real-time marionette control under pressure. Simple actions, like moving a character, suffered from noticeable lag. This lag was slightly less pronounced in more casual games like Donut County, but interactions still felt comparably slow.

Bluetooth technology is adequate for basic tasks like streaming music, but synchronizing visuals, inputs, and audio exposes limitations. These issues are compounded by the natural latency involved in connecting to a remote server globally. Even in local gaming, console manufacturers often resort to proprietary wireless protocols or enhancements beyond Bluetooth to mitigate latency.

One potential solution involves using a controller that bypasses Bluetooth and connects directly to Wi-Fi. This is a method attempted by Google Stadia and one that Microsoft might be exploring. A direct Wi-Fi connection could reduce latency by removing an intermediary step. Currently, Xbox controllers connect via Bluetooth to the Fire TV Stick, which then relays signals to a Wi-Fi router, adding milliseconds at each stage.

Adopting Wi-Fi controllers could help minimize delay, but cloud streaming will continue to face challenges until these controllers become commonplace. Even with such advancements, varying internet speeds across regions mean that local play might still require consoles. However, whether these consoles must be Xbox remains an open question.

In the realm of PC gaming, Microsoft owns Windows, but Valve has maintained dominance through the Steam gaming platform for over a decade. Although Valve’s dominance gradually weakens, many PC gamers still maintain extensive libraries of games on Steam. Consequently, there is little incentive for PC players to purchase games on the Xbox Store instead of other platforms like Steam, Epic, or GOG. However, Xbox Game Pass alters this scenario. For a monthly fee between $10 and $20, players gain access to a wide range of games, making it an attractive proposition. This has attracted over 34 million subscribers, potentially surpassing total Xbox Series X/S unit sales.

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