Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service is in the early stages of its existence but already looks to be a solid way to play console-scale games on non-console devices. Several months back I signed up for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service, primarily for Cloud Gaming, to see how the service performs and to decide if it’s worth the money. At $15 per month, it isn’t a huge cost, but the content and delivery need to be acceptable to maintain a subscription.
What games are available?
There are well over 250 games, at the time of writing this article, available to play on mobile devices. These are not just small, mobile platform games, but titles like Gears 5 and Halo 5. Visit www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass/games to see the full list of current games available for cloud play.
With the recent addition of EA Play to Game Pass, as well as the Microsoft acquisition of Bethesda Softworks, the list of Cloud-Enabled games just keeps on growing. One of my personal favorites, in terms of graphical performance on a mobile device, would be Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
Performance and Gameplay
Visuals are very clear and, although being on a much smaller screen, are comparable to console play. It is important to keep a solid wireless connection when playing. Lag and choppy resolution can result from lower ISP bandwidth. Loading up games can take a few minutes, and a 5 GHz connection on WiFi is just about a requirement to maintain a smooth gameplay.
I did notice more screen lag on games with higher graphical detail. Overall this didn’t take away from the gaming experience much. The occasional choppy screen refresh rates are understandable. Consuming gaming media in this form is still in its early stages. As WiFi and ISP connection speeds increase, so will the performance of cloud gaming.
I would recommend more serious gameplay take place on a console. A slow wireless connection can throw off the timing of jumps or punches in a heated battle. Gaming at this caliber on a portable device is an outstanding push in the right direction.
The Service Overall
As an overall service, Xbox Cloud Gaming has a lot of potential because it allows the ability to play virtually anywhere. Full-quality games can be played without a lot of bulky equipment or games to tag along. Microsoft states that the service offers over one hundred games on the mobile platform, but there are currently nearly double that.
To sum up the experience, there is a good amount of value with the fairly large library of games available. Slow load times and lagging screens are a minor issue, but somewhat forgivable. Cloud gaming on Xbox Game Pass is absolutely a win.