Game streaming won’t replace consoles or gaming PCs, says Xbox head null
For gamers excited about the prospect of streaming their favorite games from the cloud, you may want to temper your hopes. While Microsoft’s Project xCloud initiative is well into its beta, with “hundreds of thousands” of players having tried out the game streaming service for mobile and PC worldwide, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has spoken out to say that it’s still far from becoming a dominant play style.
Speaking in a VC interview for Gamelab Conference – video embedded below – Phil Spencer talked down the hype for Project xCloud and streaming in general, stating that he’s “never tried to position xCloud as a replacement for your gaming PC or for a console.”
“We’re building this capability to enable you to go play the games that you want to go play, but not as a replacement to where you go play them today,” Spencer said, while adding that “I don’t think the highest fidelity place to go play a game is going to be streamed from an Azure data centre or anybody’s data center any time soon.”
[embedded content]
Spencer vs Stadia
It’s a refreshing admission from the Xbox boss, who has previously made it clear he doesn’t think the Xbox Series X and PS5 are going to be the last console generation. It’s also especially notable given the limp launch of Google Stadia in late 2019, which as a standalone service has struggled to offer anywhere near the number of titles (or drum up the same excitement) as the likes of PS Now or Xbox Game Pass.
Streaming has historically struggled to catch on, given inconsistencies in internet bandwidth across different gamers’ homes and plenty of technical hurdles – and it seems sensible for Microsoft to avoid raising gamers’ hopes too soon. Project xCloud is slowly plodding towards a more fully-fleshed launch, though – with integration into Xbox Game Pass – and it may be Microsoft’s lack of reliance on the technology that ensures it goes the full hurdle.
Via GameSpot
For gamers excited about the prospect of streaming their favorite games from the cloud, you may want to temper your hopes. While Microsoft’s Project xCloud initiative is well into its beta, with “hundreds of thousands” of players having tried out the game streaming service for mobile and PC worldwide, Xbox…
Recent Posts
- New Nintendo Switch 2 rumors suggest that the console’s battery life will be ‘clocked crazy low’ in handheld mode
- LastPass officially splits from former parent GoTo
- TikTok and Universal Music Group end feud with new agreement
- Amazfit’s new low-cost wearable packs in a big display and 26 days of battery life
- As Questions Swirl Around Tesla’s Superchargers, the Race Is On to Fill the Power Gap
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011