Microsoft is planning to support the streaming of Xbox game libraries next month. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company is getting ready to test the ability to stream games that you own that aren’t part of the existing Xbox Game Pass library.
As part of a long-running project known as Project Lapland inside of Microsoft, the software giant has been readying its Xbox Cloud Gaming servers to be able to support streaming thousands of games. I’m told Microsoft will first test its new Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming capabilities with Xbox Insiders in November, before expanding them to more Xbox users and more games.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming expansion comes in the same month Microsoft plans to enable game purchases in its Xbox mobile app for Android in the US. Microsoft is able to do this thanks to a court ruling earlier this week that forces Google to stop requiring Google Play Billing for apps in the Play Store on November 1st.
Xbox president Sarah Bond revealed yesterday that “starting in November, players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.” Once Microsoft’s work to enable a full game library on Xbox Cloud Gaming is complete, you’ll be able to purchase an Xbox game on Android and immediately stream it to your device.
Project xCloud was supposed to launch with game library streaming in 2020. Microsoft then announced it would support your game library on Xbox Cloud Gaming in 2022, but it never launched that year. I understand the work has been complicated by having to prepare key infrastructure for thousands of games, instead of the hundreds that currently exist on Xbox Game Pass. While thousands of games will soon be available through Xbox Cloud Gaming, I’m told some publishers will hold certain games back due to licensing requirements or deals.
Microsoft is also working on a browser-based Xbox mobile store that it was originally planning to launch in July. The store will initially include deals and in-game items but will grow to cover first-party games eventually. Microsoft said in August that testing had begun on the web-based mobile store and that “work is progressing well and we will have more to share in the future.”
Update, October 11th: Article updated to mention original Project xCloud plans.
