Project xCloud: the next generation of game streaming

Project xCloud: the future of gaming is a world where you are empowered to play the games you want, with the people you want, whenever you want, wherever you are, and on any device of your choosing. Microsoft visions for the evolution of gaming is similar to music and movies entertainment (i.e. Netflix) should be available on demand and accessible from any screen.

Microsoft is unveiling its game streaming service Project xCloud, it’s designed to work across consoles, PCs, and even mobile devices. Microsoft will ll begin public trials in 2019 to learn and scale with different volumes and locations.

Cloud game-streaming is a multi-faceted, complex challenge. Unlike other forms of digital entertainment, games are interactive experiences that dynamically change based on player input. Delivering a high-quality experience across a variety of devices must account for different obstacles, such as low-latency video streamed remotely, and support a large, multi-user network. In addition to solving latency, other important considerations are supporting the graphical fidelity and framerates that preserve the artist’s original intentions, and the type of input a player has available.

Microsoft with 40 years of gaming experience starting with PC, as well as our breadth and depth of capabilities from software to hardware and deep experience of being a platform company — is well equipped to address the complex challenge of cloud game-streaming. With datacenters in 54 Azure regions and services available in 140 countries, Azure has the scale to deliver a great gaming experience for players worldwide, regardless of their location.