Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service enters iOS and PC beta this week

Microsoft is rolling out Xbox Cloud Gaming (previously known as Project xCloud) on iOS and Windows 10 this week. Select Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can participate in an open beta starting tomorrow, April 20, 2021. Microsoft previously announced that its cloud gaming service would hit iOS and PC sometime this spring. Invitees will be able to play over 100 Xbox Game Pass titles through browsers such as Edge, Google Chrome, or Safari via Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets. The beta supports Bluetooth or USB controllers across all titles, as well as custom touchscreen functionality for over 50 compatible games. This limited time beta is currently planned to launch in 22 countries and will roll out across other territories in the future. This beta, as Microsoft explains, is to “test and learn,” as the company plans to evaluate feedback to improve the experience for all users. Ultimately, Microsoft wants to “bring gaming to the 3 billion players around the world.” It’s unclear how Microsoft is going about selecting Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to participate in the beta, though the company stated that it will send out invites on a “continuous basis.” Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming has been available on Android devices such as tablets and phones since 2020. The company was unable to bring the service to iOS initially, due to Apple’s restrictions for App Store games, which — based on its terms of service — would require each game to be downloaded individually from the App Store. At the time, Microsoft referred to it as a “bad experience for consumers.” In an attempt to bypass this to make the service more consumer friendly, Microsoft has implemented a way for Xbox Cloud Gaming to function on iOS via a browser. Those who have received invites can visit the Microsoft website here to access the large list of Xbox Game Pass titles available with the Cloud Gaming beta. Years after Xbox promised that users could stream games they own through the cloud, the company is finally launching that functionality, albeit with some restrictions. Starting Wednesday, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to use Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream games they already own, even if they’re not in the Game Pass catalog. However, they can only stream from a list of 50 supported games right now. You can view the full list on Xbox’s website, but it’s a good mix of titles, ranging from AAA releases like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to recent indies like Animal Well, Fear the Spotlight, and Dredge. This applies to any version of the game you own, like if you have Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. Keeping track of every new video game release is a nearly impossible task. Games are constantly being announced, delayed, rereleased on new platforms, remastered, canceled — you get the point. With the upcoming games lineup constantly shifting on PC,  Switch 2, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and mobile, it can be hard to find games to look forward to playing (and to budget for) in the coming months. Despite the herculean task of tracking an entire year of video game release dates, we’re giving it our best shot. Check out this month-by-month schedule of new video game releases. We’re focusing mainly on highly anticipated titles with concrete release dates, but will also include little-known indies and keep an eye on launch plans for games way out in the distance, like Grand Theft Auto 6 or games that are still very early on in development like Hogwarts Legacy 2 or The Last of Us Part 3. If you’re looking to get a quick glance at the future of video games, including cross-platform games, this is the place. We’ll keep this list updated and as accurate as possible at regular intervals.
2025 release dates
Believe it or not, we’re already in the second half of 2025. The first half was packed with amazing games, but the second half looks even stronger. We’ll be sure to note games that have expected or rumored release windows alongside games with solid launch plans. The Xbox Series X and Series S have now been out for over four years, bringing better resolution, higher frame rates, and ray tracing to gamers around the world. And the best upcoming video games continue to show off all those bells and whistles in fun, new experiences. If you’re eager to find out what Microsoft has in store for the years ahead, we’ve rounded up every game confirmed so far, including new offerings, franchise installments, and ports of existing titles. We’re looking beyond the first-party projects here to encompass all the great games coming to this powerful piece of gaming hardware. Maybe some of them will end up being among the best games on Xbox Series X. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.