Microsoft to trial Project xCloud game streaming service in 2019

Microsoft reveals public trials of its own video game streaming service will start in 2019. Called Project xCloud, the service will aim at not only consoles but also PCs and mobile devices. Microsoft created custom hardware for this project, which will ensure compatibility with existing and future Xbox games. The company has a customizable blade server that will be scaled in datacenters across Azure regions over time. Full details at the Microsoft blog

We are testing Project xCloud today. The test runs on devices (mobile phones, tablets) paired with an Xbox Wireless Controller through Bluetooth, and it is also playable using touch input. The immersive nature of console and PC games often requires controls that are mapped to multiple keys, buttons, sticks and triggers. We are developing a new, game-specific touch input overlay that provides maximum response in a minimal footprint for players who choose to play without a controller.

Cloud game-streaming is a multi-faceted, complex challenge. Unlike other forms of digital entertainment, games are interactive experiences that dynamically change based on player input. Delivering a high-quality experience across a variety of devices must account for different obstacles, such as low-latency video streamed remotely, and support a large, multi-user network. In addition to solving latency, other important considerations are supporting the graphical fidelity and framerates that preserve the artist’s original intentions, and the type of input a player has available.

Microsoft — with our nearly 40 years of gaming experience starting with PC, as well as our breadth and depth of capabilities from software to hardware and deep experience of being a platform company — is well equipped to address the complex challenge of cloud game-streaming. With datacenters in 54 Azure regions and services available in 140 countries, Azure has the scale to deliver a great gaming experience for players worldwide, regardless of their location.

Microsoft isn't the only one trying to make video game streaming mainstream. The concept has been tried several time before, at the moment rivals include Sony (PlayStation Now), NVIDIA's GeForce Now, and Google's Project Stream.