The Xbox Series X is here, but Microsoft doesn't really mind if you don't buy one.
That's thanks to Cloud Gaming (formerly known as Project xCloud), Microsoft's initiative to bring Xbox games to whichever device you own – and by all accounts actually works better than Google's more expensive, fully-released Stadia platform.
The service is out now for Android users.
Here's everything we know about it so far.
Read More: How To Get Halo Infinite For Free On Xbox Series X
Microsoft Cloud Gaming – Everything we know so far
What is Cloud Gaming?
Cloud Gaming is a game streaming service that lets players play console or PC games to devices like phones or tablets without needing to download the game itself. It's all streamed from Microsoft's own servers, which are located in 54 different regions around the globe.
Unlike Google Stadia, Cloud Gaming is designed to complement traditional gaming delivery methods rather than replace it – ideally meaning you can take your library on the go, or play something like Halo Infinite without necessarily needing an Xbox or PC.
It's a risky strategy because it potentially removes the need to buy the company's hardware at all, but you'll be getting the best version of games on an Xbox Series X or PC.
How does it work?
Imagine that in one of the company's Azure datacenters, there's a server made up of the internals of multiple Xbox consoles that your chosen game is running on, with the resulting action being beamed through your device's network connection. Every button press is then sent to this server and influences the game that way.
There's also likely to be cloud saves, already in use on Xbox and PC, so you can pick up where you left off, but if you are likely to play on the go remember you will need a strong internet connection – so playing on a train or bus without wi-fi might be less than ideal.
How do I control it?
With Xbox One controllers and even Sony's Dualshock 4 usable with the service, there's also the ability to use your device's touchscreen – although depending on the game, that might be more of a hindrance than a help.
What games can I play?
The list of games supported in Cloud Gaming is growing steadily, but it's nowhere near the full 3000-plus games on the Xbox One platform yet – although that is the end goal.
That means third-party and Xbox exclusives wherever you are, like logging into Call of Duty for a multiplayer match or visiting Xur in Destiny 2 while you're stuck at a relative's.
When you factor in the potential of Game Pass to open a whole new library, Cloud Gaming could be perfect for casual fans that don't buy games often. At launch, the platform will offer over 150 games.
Check out the full list below, taken from a new Xbox Wire blog post.
Cloud gaming launch titles:
- A Plague Tale: Innocence
- Absolver
- Afterparty
- Age of Wonders: Planetfall
- ARK: Survival Evolved
- ASTRONEER
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Battletoads
- Battle Chasers: Nightwar
- Black Desert
- Blair Witch
- Bleeding Edge
- Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
- Bridge Constructor Portal
- Carrion
- Children of Morta
- ClusterTruck
- Crackdown 3: Campaign
- Crosscode
- Darksiders Genesis
- Darksiders III
- DayZ
- de Blob
- Dead by Daylight
- Dead Cells
- Dead Island Definitive Edition
- Death Squared
- Deliver us the moon
- Demon's Tilt
- Descenders
- Destiny 2: Shadowkeep & Forsaken expansion (September 22)
- DiRT 4
- Don't Starve
- Double Kick Heroes
- Drake Hollow
- Dungeon of the Endless
- Enter The Gungeon
- F1 2019
- Fallout 76
- Farming Simulator 17
- Felix the Reaper
- Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour
- For the King
- Forager
- Forza Horizon 4
- Fractured Minds
- Frostpunk: Console Edition
- Gato Roboto
- Gears of War 1: Ultimate Edition
- Gears of War 4
- Gears of War 5
- Goat Simulator
- Golf with Your Friends
- Grounded
- Guacamelee! 2
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Halo Wars 1: Definitive Edition
- Halo Wars 2
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection
- Halo: Spartan Assault
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
- Hello Neighbor
- Hollow Knight (Renewal)
- Hot Shot Racing
- Human Fall Flat
- Hyperdot
- Hypnospace Outlaw
- Indivisible
- Journey to the Savage Planet
- Katana ZERO (Coming soon)
- Killer Instinct DE
- Kona
- Levelhead
- Lonely Mountains: Downhill
- MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE
- Metro 2033 Redux
- Middle Earth: Shadow of War
- Minecraft: Dungeons
- MINIT
- Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight
- Moonlighter
- Mortal Kombat X (Not available in Korea)
- Mount & Blade: Warband
- Moving Out
- Mudrunner
- Munchkin: Quacked Quest
- Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
- My Time At Portia
- Neon Abyss
- New Super Lucky's Tale
- NieR: Automata
- Night Call
- Night in the Woods (Coming soon)
- No Man's Sky
- Nowhere Prophet
- Observation
- Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Overcooked! 2
- Oxenfree
- Pathologic 2
- Pikuniku
- Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition
- Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
- ReCore: Definitive Edition
- Remnant: From the Ashes
- Resident Evil 7 Biohazard
- Rise & Shine
- River City Girls (Coming soon)
- Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition
- Sea Salt
- Secret Neighbor
- Shadow Warrior 2
- Slay the Spire
- Sniper Elite 4
- Spiritfarer
- State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition
- Stellaris
- Stranger Things 3: The Game
- Streets of Rage 4
- Streets of Rogue
- Subnautica
- Surviving Mars
- Tacoma
- Tell Me Why Episode 1 - 3
- Terraria
- The Bard's Tale IV: Directors Cut
- The Bard's Tale Remastered and Resnarkled
- The Bard's Tale Trilogy
- The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- The Gardens Between
- The Jackbox Party Pack 4
- The Long Dark
- The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game
- The Messenger
- The Outer Worlds
- The Surge 2
- The Touryst
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- The Escapists 2
- The Talos Principle
- The Turing Test
- The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 1 through 5
- The Walking Dead: Michonne - Episode 1 - 3
- The Walking Dead: Season Two
- theHunter: Call of the Wild
- Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
- Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
- Totally Reliable Delivery Service
- Touhou Luna Nights
- Tracks - The Train Set Game
- Trailmakers
- Train Sim World 2020
- Two Point Hospital
- Undermine
- Untitled Goose Game
- Void Bastards
- Wandersong
- Warhammer Vermintide 2 (Coming soon)
- Wasteland Remastered
- Wasteland 2: Director's Cut
- Wasteland 3
- We Happy Few
- West of Dead
- Wizard of Legend
- World War Z
- Worms W.M.D
- Xeno Crisis
- Yakuza 0
- Yakuza Kiwami
- Yakuza Kiwami 2
How much will it cost?
You'll be able to stream games through Project xCloud at no extra cost as part of an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription (£10.99 per month). That's a heck of a deal.
How do I get started?
You'll just need to download the app on your Android device. Unfortunately, until Microsoft and Apple hash out a deal, Cloud Gaming won't appear on the iOS platform.
Luckily, Microsoft is planning to add iOS support via a browser-based solution. Find out more here.