The new generation of gaming is here with the Xbox Series X, but part of Microsoft’s ecosystem goes beyond just consoles. The Xbox Cloud Gaming experience puts the power of games into player hands through mobile devices, and now the company is expanding on that service by bringing it to more devices.
Microsoft’s ethos going into this new generation began laying the groundwork mid-Xbox One era and from there, it has grown exponentially. With more ways to connect, enjoy games, and play with others, the company is constantly looking at expansion opportunities while it also works on its ongoing acquisition hauls on the console side as well.
“As we look at how we define success at the start of a new generation for gaming, we can think of none better than more and more players connecting with their friends and discovering games they love,” reads a new blog post with CVP of Microsoft Gaming, Jerret West. “It’s the billions of hours and over 3,800 different games you played in the last month that is the foundation for our success at Xbox.”
That growth includes more Xbox Game Pass engagement, with member numbers doubling in count. A few other interesting stats were shared, including:
- Over 1.6 million seamless upgrades delivered to Xbox Series X|S owners with Smart Delivery.
- Over 40% of you joining Xbox for the first time are playing on Xbox Series S.
- One of the fastest selling Xbox Series X|S markets out of 40+ launch regions, Europe saw record sellouts in a matter of hours across the UK, France and Germany.
- During November, Xbox Game Pass members played more of their favorites, including, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Rainbow Six: Siege, Tetris Effect Connected, and Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order with EA Play on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Beyond celebrating recent successes, the CVP also shared what’s next, including the Cloud Gaming beta with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate coming to both iOS and PC next year. “Expanding Xbox to new players is central to our ambition of helping games and developers find an easy path to the world’s 3 billion gamers,” explained West. “We are doing this by embracing multiple devices and providing a consistent Xbox experience wherever you log in, whether that’s on your Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox One, Android device or – starting in Spring 2021 – your Windows PC and iOS device from the cloud.
“In Spring 2021, we will take the next step in our journey to reach more players around the world by making cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate available on Windows PCs through the Xbox app and browser, and iOS devices through mobile web browser. By adding over a billion devices as a path to playing in the Xbox ecosystem, we envision a seamless experience for all types of players; whether it’s playing Minecraft Dungeons with your Xbox friends using touch controls on an iPhone, or jumping into a Destiny 2: Beyond Light strike on a Surface Pro when you have a break between meetings.”
The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service will also be expanding into different markets, as well, including Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Japan.
2021 is going to be a pivotal time for Microsoft to grow and share its value with gamers. It’ll be interesting to see where they go next.
