Xbox Game Pass hits 10m subs as Microsoft teases streaming support

01 May 2020 | Rasmus Larsen |

Microsoft's game subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, has surpassed 10 million subscribers. It will gain xCloud game streaming support later this year.

"Netflix for games"Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service for games that allows you to download games onto an Xbox console or PC. Later this year, Xbox Game Pass will also let you stream games over the internet - like Google Stadia.

- "Later this year our cloud game streaming technology, Project xCloud, will come to Game Pass—so you and your friends can stream and play the games you love together on your devices," announced Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox.

In other words instead of downloading, installing, and turning on your console/PC you will be able to start playing any game from the catalog on any compatible device (Android, iOS and Windows PC) almost instantaneously. The game will run in Microsoft's cloud centers that then stream the game to your device.

This is similar to Netflix and by adding xCloud game streaming support Xbox Game Pass inches ever closer to becoming "Netflix for games". Xbox Game Pass gives you access to a catalog of over 100 games, including Forza, Gears of War, and Halo, for $10 per month.

Microsoft also announced that Xbox Game Pass "now has over 10 million members from 41 countries worldwide", which puts it way ahead of Sony's PlayStation Now that surpassed 1 million subscribers in October 2019. Apple and Google have not disclosed subscriber figures for Arcade and Stadia.

- Source: Microsoft Xbox