What They Say
Microsoft said that it is working with TV manufacturers around the world to “embed the Xbox experience directly into” internet-connected TVs. The aim is to require only the addition of a controller to allow XBox games to be played. The aim of the company is to make the most of the popularity of its XBox Game Pass, which it is expanding to Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Japan later in 2021.
Additionally, Microsoft announced that cloud gaming through PC browsers will open for all Game Pass Ultimate members “in the next few weeks” across Chrome, Safari, and Edge. The Microsoft server infrastructure will be upgraded to improve the Game Pass experience.
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella that Microsoft can ‘democratise gaming’.
What We Think
I’m not sure how many years it is since I first started reporting on the idea of cloud gaming and subscription services, but coming to smartTVs would be a big enabler for wider adoption. Still, the XBox Game Pass is a success with 25% of the services subscribers joining in 2021 and was reported in April 2021 to have reached 23 million, while it was only said to have had 18 million in January. (BR)
