Xbox cloud gaming launched: How to play Xbox cloud gaming on your smartphone?

Smartphones are no longer limited to casual gaming, however, with the launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming, people have the opportunity to stream high-quality console and PC games onto Android and iOS devices. By 2025, Microsoft has ensured that more than ever before, accessing Xbox Cloud Gaming on smartphones will become as simple as it can be, providing mobile-first gamers the ability to play AAA games without having to own a console or expensive hardware.

XBox Cloud gaming is now available in India

Following months of speculation (and online leaks), Microsoft has officially declared on Tuesday that XBox Cloud Gaming is currently available in India. Now, Indian gamers are able to stream the library of titles of Xbox without an Xbox device. This implies that they would be in a position to stream their favourite titles directly to the cloud. The service has been in beta in several countries previously but India is now among the list of expanding markets.

It is also worth adding that Xbox Cloud Gaming in India is connected to the updated Game Pass plans (Essential, Premium, Ultimate) by Microsoft. Cloud streaming will be automatically applied to any player who has one of such subscriptions. Microsoft has gone further and activated local cloud servers in Pune and Chennai which would assist in reducing lag to Indian players.

Contextually, Game Pass Essential is priced at Rs499/month (50+ games) and includes cloud streaming, Premium is Rs699 and Ultimate Rs1389 (and hundreds of games, day-one new releases). That is, the advantages of console free, cloud-based gaming are now officially extended to Indian subscribers.

How to play Xbox cloud gaming on your smartphone?

All you need to do to start playing is to open a supported web browser on your smartphone Android 12+ or iOS 14.4+ and go to xbox.com/play. Sign in using your Microsoft account and you can stream hundreds of games in the Xbox Game Pass library. There is no specialised Xbox application needed, Microsoft currently encourages the use of browsers on both Android and iPhone, which make the process convenient and free of troubles.

What you need

• Xbox Game Pass Subscription: Cloud gaming is available with all levels of the subscription, including the lowest level, which is the Essential.

• Compatible device: Android 12+ or iOS 14.4+.

• Stable Internet: One should have a connection speed of at least 10 Mbps of download to play the game without issues.

• Controller (Optional): Although most games use touch-control, a hardware controller may be connected to the game via Bluetooth, like an Xbox Wireless or Sony DualSense, to give it a more realistic and responsive experience.

Gaming experience on mobile

Xbox Cloud Gaming is formally present in India and in several other nations, which means that it has a broad target audience. The service promotes a rotating collection of games, such as the popular ones like Forza, NFS Unbound, and Hogwarts Legacy. Other games have custom touch controls, although a controller is highly recommended to play them.

Xbox Cloud Gaming allows playing the highest-quality games on the move by anyone who has access to a mobile phone that is compatible and a stable internet connection, without the need to invest money in the purchase of either expensive consoles or gaming computers. This is particularly useful to the users who will not need to spend extra money on acquiring extra hardware to play console quality games. The Xbox Cloud Gaming makes the power of Xbox in your pocket whether you are an ordinary player or a serious gamer.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.