Xbox Cloud Gaming now available on Xbox One and Series X/S with Game Pass Ultimate

A limited number of subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can stream games to their Xbox One and Series X/S consoles starting today, via a beta release of Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service, with the feature set to be made available to more users over the coming weeks.

Eligible users should look for the cloud icon on supported titles in their console’s Game Pass catalogue. If present, a cloud version of the game can be launched for immediate play – perhaps to sample its wares or to quickly join a friend’s gaming session – without needing to download it first. Microsoft calls it a “great way to discover your next favourite game while saving space on your hard drive for the games you plan to play again and again.”

The launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming for consoles also means Xbox One users will now be able to play certain next-gen Xbox Series X/S titles via streaming, including the likes of The Medium, Recompile, and The Riftbreaker.

Microsoft says it’ll be expanding its cloud gaming library – which is detailed in full on the Game Pass Ultimate website – to include more next-gen over time, with Asobo’s sumptuous Microsoft Flight Simulator currently set to be supported in “early 2022”.

Xbox Cloud Gaming will initially be available on Xbox One and Series X/S in 25 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, and much of Europe, with more on the way. Following its limited release – which will be available to a “subset of Xbox gamers” – the service will “scale to all gamers in supported markets over the coming weeks.”