Microsoft has become a laggard in the technology industry in recent years, but it is starting to redeem itself. One of the ways that Microsoft is revitalizing its brand is by investing more heavily in cloud technology.
Microsoft Azure, the company’s cloud computing platform, has increased revenue by 24% over the past year. However, other segments of Microsoft are also leveraging the cloud. The Xbox platform has focused more heavily on cloud technology to appeal to its users.
Cloud technology has led to some major advances in the gaming sector. Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming is one of the perfect examples of the benefits that cloud technology can bring to players all over the world.
However, some lingering concerns about the future of Microsoft’s cloud solutions remain. Will Microsoft need to scale its cloud infrastructure to appeal to these players?
Cloud Technology is the Future of Microsoft Gaming Services
Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella has talked in detail about the growing role of cloud technology in the company’s future. While he has mostly talked about the role of Microsoft Azure, he has also emphasized the importance of using cloud technology to grow Microsoft’s gaming platform.
Nadella has started trying to get a number of developers to back the company’s efforts to scale its cloud gaming efforts. In May, he made a bold pitch to get developers to join Xbox Cloud Gaming and promised them that they would not need to do any extra coding.
His efforts have helped, since the platform is doing well and is growing due to support from key developers. Since Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service arrived in September 2020, it has performed really well.
However, there have been calls for better support, increased security, and more features to improve the service, which Microsoft has been duly working on. Microsoft may also need to improve its cloud infrastructure. One of the questions being asked here is, how well-oiled is Xbox’s Cloud Gaming service to survive a potential influx of players?
What is Xbox Cloud Gaming?
Xbox Cloud Gaming (which was known as Project xCloud when it first came out) is a service that enables gamers from around the world to access and play a comprehensive library of proven-performing online multiplayer games and single-player games from the Xbox portfolio without the need for a cutting-edge gaming device. It’s now possible for players to experience more than 200 top games across any smartphone or tablet device, running the Android OS, with the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate mobile application.
It has taken the gaming world by storm in 2022, and players love it. All players need to do is hook up their Android device to one of the available servers in the cloud that runs native Xbox games. As well as Android devices, the service can also be accessed from any Xbox console, Microsoft Windows-operating PCs, and from any modern Apple iPhone or iPad’s internet web browser. In short, players no longer need to clutter their homes with bulky consoles thanks to the Xbox Cloud Gaming service.
There’s also no need to download or install any software because the games are all stored online in the cloud. This also means there’s no need for the constant updating of systems. This allows players more time to play their favourite games because there are no unwanted distractions like this to deal with. The hardware updates are carried out on the server side, which means players themselves don’t have to worry about doing it. Players don’t even need a controller to play Xbox Cloud games on mobile. They can use their smartphone or tablet device to play games just as they would play any other mobile game.
It is abundantly clear that cloud technology is the future of gaming. Game Rant writer Jake Selway wrote an article stating that cloud gaming may be the future. Future advances in cloud technology may make it even more appealing.
Microsoft is constantly working to improve the Cloud Gaming Service, and with new innovations, improved support and more useful features, it should be well-oiled enough to survive a potential influx of new players.
Top-rated games on Xbox Cloud Gaming
The top-rated Xbox Cloud Gaming titles to keep an eye out for in 2022 include the following great games:
- Halo Infinite (Campaign) – Xbox Game Studios
- Forza Horizon 4 (Standard Edition) – Microsoft Studios
- Forza Horizon 5 (Standard Edition) – Microsoft Studios
- Fortnite – Epic Games Inc.
- Battlefield 2042 (Xbox Series X/S) – Electronic Arts
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey – Ubisoft
- ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition – Studio Wildcard
Other honourable mentions
For people who enjoy playing any of these hit titles and want more great games, then they also need to check out some of these other honourable mentions too. They include the Farming Simulator 22 game from GIANTS Software GmbH, as well as Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe game from Ubisoft, and the Mortal Kombat 11 from Warner Bros. Games. There’s also the Sea of Thieves game from Microsoft Studios, the Microsoft Flight Simulator Standard 40th Anniversary game from Xbox Game Studios, and the LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga game from Warner Bros Games, to name just a few.
How much does Xbox Cloud Gaming Cost?
The latest prices can be found on the official Xbox Cloud Gaming web page. People can choose between several Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, and the Ultimate subscription is known as being the best value for money. New subscribers can get their first month for just $1.00, and then after that, it will cost $14.99 (or equivalent currency value) per month. The subscription will automatically renew each month, and it can be cancelled at any time.
The Ultimate subscription grants people access to the full suite of games for console, PC, and Android mobile devices, and subscribers will always have access to the very latest games as soon as they are released. They can also look forward to free perks, such as partner offers and in-game content, as well as exclusive member offers, discounts, and more.
Cloud Technology is Changing the Future of Gaming at Microsoft
Microsoft has made a comeback as a technology leader over the past decade. The company is investing more heavily in cloud technology, which is changing the state of its gaming platforms. Xbox Cloud Gaming is the future, even though the company still has to overcome some remaining issues.
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