According to a report by The Verge, Microsoft has begun testing its xCloud game streaming service on Internet browsers including Google Chrome and the service is being tested with employees ahead of a public preview. The service allows Xbox players to access their games through a browser, and opens up xCloud to work on devices like iPhones and iPads.
Web-based xCloud streaming will be limited to Chromium-based browsers, which include the new version of Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. These tests are reportedly being conducted of a public preview of the technology running on Internet devices and this could also allow xCloud to be used to play high-end video games on a range of devices, including iPhones and iPads.
The report stated that the functionality of the web-based xCloud game streaming service is similar to that of the xCloud mobile application currently available for Android smartphones. It offers a basic launcher screen with video game recommendations, the option to resume your previous play-through, and access to the catalogue of cloud games via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Microsoft is planning to bundle this web version of xCloud into the PC version of the Xbox app on Windows 10, too. The web version appears to be currently limited to Chromium browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, much like Google’s Stadia service. Microsoft is planning some form of public preview of xCloud via the web in the spring, and this wider internal testing signals that the preview is getting very close.
The report also stated that users will need a controller to play Xbox games streamed through an Internet browser. Microsoft will integrate this web streaming functionality into its Xbox app for PC, allowing users to stream directly through the application. There is currently no public release date for the web version of xCloud game streaming but a public preview is reportedly slated for later this year.
