I’ve written extensively about Xbox’s direction and where they are driving their gaming segment over the next several years. This morning, a few days before their next big showcase, they shared more details on those plans.
As detailed on the Xbox Wire Blog, the Xbox team is focused on partnerships and technology that will allow their players to access Xbox nearly anywhere. Here are some details of what they are working on in the immediate future.
- Bringing the Xbox app to Samsung 2022 Smart TVs
- Expanding Xbox Cloud Gaming to more countries
- Bringing new gaming experiences to Microsoft Edge and Windows 11
- Rolling out updates for Xbox Game Pass members
- Introducing more options to express yourself with Xbox Design Lab
As Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer sees it, “We’re building a platform that can reach billions of players—whether it’s on console, whether it’s on PC, whether it’s through Xbox cloud streaming – where players on any device they want to play on should be able to find the content they want to play.”
Bringing the Xbox app to Samsung 2022 Smart TVs
Today, we announced we’re partnering with Samsung to bring the Xbox App to 2022 Smart TVs so that you can play hundreds of cloud-enabled games, without a console.
- That means hundreds of games in our Game Pass Ultimate library, and Fortnite without a subscription.
- Playing Xbox games on Samsung’s 2022 Smart TVs will be a seamless experience – it will be similar to using any other streaming app on your TV.
- It’s simple, starting on June 30, access the Xbox app from the Samsung Gaming Hub or Media Hub and log into your existing Microsoft account, connect your favorite Bluetooth controller.
- If you’re a Game Pass Ultimate member, you’ll have access to play loads of great cloud-enabled games, or you can jump into Fortnite without a subscription.
Continuing to expand Xbox Cloud Gaming
To meet demand and make gaming available to even more people, today, Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) is opening up to players in Argentina and New Zealand.
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members in Argentina and New Zealand can play hundreds of games from the cloud on Apple and Android phones and tablets, Windows PCs, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, and soon on Smart TVs with our launch partner Samsung.
- Like players in other countries, Argentina and New Zealand gamers can play Fortnite with Xbox Cloud Gaming for free and without any membership required.
Microsoft is Bringing New Gaming Experiences to Microsoft Edge and Windows 11
We’re continuing to collaborate across Microsoft to provide great gaming experiences. That work continues with new updates coming to Windows 11 to deliver an even better gaming experience:
- Optimizations for windowed games are currently being tested in the Windows Insider program. These are designed to significantly improve latency and unlock other exciting gaming features, including Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).
- A new HDR calibration app will enable players to improve color accuracy and consistency of their HDR displays.
- The Game Pass Widget will allow players to browse and discover games from Game Pass and jump back into their recently played titles.
- Controller bar features a list of most recent games, and shortcuts to popular game launchers, including the Xbox app. Controller bar enables players to jump back into their games or even access Xbox Cloud Gaming without the need for a mouse and keyboard. This is also currently being tested in the Windows Insider program.
We’re also excited to share how Microsoft Edge is evolving to meet gamers’ needs and help bring gaming to everyone, everywhere. Exclusive new gaming features are coming soon to the desktop version of Microsoft Edge, including some Xbox Cloud Gaming integrations:
- A new personalized gaming home page featuring news, game guides, live streams, game highlights, tournaments, upcoming and newly released games, and the Xbox Cloud Gaming library, including easy access to recently played games and related content.
- Built-in Clarity Boost makes gameplay from the cloud look sharper and clearer when playing in the Microsoft Edge browser on Windows.
- The new Games menu in Microsoft Edge offers easy access to free, popular games like Microsoft Solitaire, Atari Asteroids, Microsoft Jewel, and Microsoft Edge’s exclusive Surf game, plus helps players discover new ones.
- Efficiency mode helps improve gaming performance on Windows 10 and 11 to keep them running fast and smooth by automatically reducing browser resource usage when a PC game is launched.
Get More Out of Your Xbox Game Pass Membership
We’re excited to share that later this year, it’s our intent to roll out the ability for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play, from the cloud, select games they already own or have purchased outside the Xbox Game Pass library.
We’re also revealing the first details of Project Moorcroft, a program that brings the fun and discovery of playing new, curated demos of upcoming games to our Xbox Game Pass members.
- The program will begin rolling out within the next year, beginning with a focus on providing independent developers from around the world more opportunities to build excitement for their games.
- Participating developers will be able to see how their demos perform, and be compensated, enabling them to bring their creativity to Xbox and reach new audiences with Game Pass.
More Options to Express Yourself with Xbox Design Lab
Xbox Design Lab allows players across the globe the opportunity to express their personalities and opens up billions of possible combinations. Today, we have expanded that audience and the range of customization options and colors.
- This includes new pastel colors – Soft Pink, Soft Orange, Soft Green, and Soft Purple. As well as new Camo Top cases with matching side caps – Mineral Camo, Arctic Camo, Forest Camo, Sandglow Camo and Blaze Camo.
- Xbox Design Lab is also launching in 11 new countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland, and we’ll add Taiwan later this summer.
