Microsoft's Bringing Xbox Live to Android and iOS

Microsoft's bringing Xbox Live services to iOS and Android with a new SDK that opens the door to a lot more than simply matchmaking.

[lxeasy]

I wonder when Project X Cloud will be ready for the masses. 'm ready to stream my Xbox Games on my phone when I'm traveling.

[Eonjay]

There is a beta later this year.

[bouzebbal]

Just release it on PS consoles already..
Maybe that can give vita a second life

[81BX]

@bouzebbal
That would be awesome for gamers

[Kingthrash360]

If ps now couldn't do it.....

[luckytrouble]

I hope you don't expect anything even remotely functional. Game streaming requires a stable, high speed connection. Variable 4G speeds will not be even remotely fast or stable enough for a passable experience.

[NarutoFox]

Facts. Gotta wait for 5G speeds

[Sophisticated_Chap]

We have to wait for millimeter wave, cancer causing, mind control 5G internet tech, which will give the masses latency free internet connectivity. Self driving cars will also require 5G.

[luckytrouble]

Honestly, even with 5G, you might get high enough speeds to get decent streaming when close enough to a tower, but the big problem of speed consistency will never go away. Coverage nets for every major provider basically the world over has massive holes, and even when an area is actually covered, I'm sure everyone with a smartphone has experienced a time where within half a block they went from seemingly a full strength connection to speeds that make 3G seem fast. It's an inherent problem with cell phone service in that unless you are basically sitting on a tower, your speeds could dip and rise standing in the same spot due to carriers pulling all kinds of bs with peak usage time throttling and other crap.

Mobile game streaming will never be good, at least not with current or even next generation wireless technology. Passable in some places, but hardly desired. It will be a long time before I can recommend streaming on anything that doesn't have an Ethernet cable hooked into it with a connection that can maintain at least 40Mb/s (note that is megabits, not megabytes).

[akbennyewu]

Ok you know best, got it.

[Ratchet75]

Especially if you re not 1m away from your modem.
Lol😂

[frostypants]

What do you mean? MS would NEVER overestimate the capabilities of the cloud............. /s

Streaming in the home on the same network would work though.

[blacktiger]

You can do same thing with playstation now

[Christopher]

You can remote play from PS4 on iOS, Sony Android devices, and Vita, but PSNow is still limited to PC outside of PS4 ( https://www.playstation.com... ). I don't think you can remote play the PSNow games streamed to your PS4, even doing so would be one of the worst playing scenarios I can think of.

[akbennyewu]

Wrong, but nice try.

[SLiSH83]

Will MS make a MFi compatible controller for iOS

[SkippyPaccino]

Microsoft: "you might not want to buy our subpar games or our console, but we don't care! We will muscle our way in and you will learn to love us, because we are the all mighty Microsoft!!"

Gamers: "Why don't you start by making great games for a few years before shoving your subpar brand down our throat?"

I've never seen a company achieve so little, yet feel like they're the best to lead the industry forward. That's some high level arrogance on Microsoft part.

[optimus]

yes of course, not unlike sony saying our console is for the upper class, if you want it and can't afford it "then get a 2nd job.".... "we could put out a console with 0 games and it will still sell millions."... that's not high level arrogance at all, right?🙄

[Urzusix]

Like saying if you don't have the internet they buy a 360? lol Both company's said some stupid stuff

[kneon]

Here's the real quote

"for consumers to think to themselves 'I will work more hours to buy one'. We want people to feel that they want it, irrespective of anything else."

It's not what people commonly portray it to be.

[The Wood]

Misquoted but when you just need a retort. . . Regurgitate anything that can be spun into a negative for . . . . . .reasons

I think MS is doing their own thing. Nothing wrong with that. They've tried in the past to fly too close to the sun but they seem persistent in their efforts to leverage live onto as many devices as possible. It's no guarantee for success but what's wrong with them trying something different. If they quell the delusions of grandeur and arrogance they showed at the start of this gen, they may actually meet one of their goals.

[2pacalypsenow]

Sony never said that tho...

[Dragonscale]

@optimus, they never said that fgs.

[yomfweeee]

Awww making up quotes to defend Microsoft.

[Gwiz]

The console sure, but they still had to keep going while MS obviously doesn't.

[optimus]

"but he didn't say that, stop it! he didn't say that!" good lord. 🙄.... let's take a stroll through memory lane shall we?... I'll just leave this here .... https://kotaku.com/thanks-f...

[rainslacker]

Yeah, just like those things that Sony never said.

Especially that 2nd quote. Where did that come from? never once Sony imply that, or suggest they weren't going to put out games. They're always about how they're going to support and release games. Sony execs have said some strange things over the years, but never seen them say something so cynical towards the gamers. I couldn't find reference to that 2nd quote in the memes you posted. You also change the context of the 2nd job quote, which is nothing new, and strange that after all this time, Xbox fan boys still show their ignorance because they've certainly been corrected on the meaning of the quote enough times. Even if you read it with trying to spin it, he doesn't actually tell people to get a 2nd job...so, double fail there I guess.

I guess if we're going to make up quotes, I'll go next.

Remember that time that Spencer said he'd give a free Xbox to anyone who sacrificed a white bunny rabbit in the name of Greenburg because he knew that people were so desperate for one, they'd do anything to get one? Man, those were the days. Strange it didn't get any media attention. I remember it clearly.

[TacoTaco]

That's some high level reaching. Tell me: since 2013, which of the big three has received the harshest criticism and which has done the most to address it in a way that most benefits the users?

Can't be Nintendo. You can't even copy a game save onto an SD Card.
Can't be Sony. They are censoring major releases now (DMC5), have successfully adopted Microsoft's awful 360 marketing strategy of securing 3rd party timed DLC exclusives, and their Cross-Play stance isn't the friendliest. It's absurd that iOS and Android have been together since their very first mobile multiplayer games but just *talking* about PSN-XBL Cross-Play is pure tabboo.

Microsoft leads the charge on backwards compatibility. Microsoft leads the charge on wanting you to play with who you want wherever they could be. They certainly don't lead the charge on quality games, but that shouldn't discredit them from all the good they are now preaching, especially since they threw out the window the *entire* original Xbox One Vision precisely because they chose to listen - and respond to - criticism.

[Shikoku]

If you mean MS then you haven't been paying attention. They backtracked on the policies on xbone but are marshaling ahead with their plan anyway now its just hidden better. They are still pushing an all digital controlled by them market place, killing used games and using a cloud streaming device to push games a s a service that gamers told them loudly and clearly 6yrs ago we don't want and what have they done? Pushed head anyway.

[TacoTaco]

I'm still able to put my Ninja Gaiden disc from the OG Xbox in and it works better than ever on my One X. Not that I need the disc, since it's on Game Pass.

On PSN I purchased God of War for cheaper than it was at retail that week. I own the original trilogy on disc but I can't play any of them on my PS4... Every single purchase I've ever made on Steam on PC has been cheaper than those games ever were at retail too (and hey, they all work on my PC!). In a few months, I'll finally be able to play Halo Reach on PC, purchased through Steam. Digital isn't evil when it's convenient and can be more affordable...

You're free to complain but I'm quite enjoying the multiple ways to buy and enjoy the games I want to play.

Do not use game streaming as an example of a bad Microsoft action. Sony spent several hundred million dollars to purchase a company and has had their PSNow service running for years already...

[kingcorey]

Sony led the industry and microsoft back tracked and followed, sony leads the industry with high quality and high quanity exclusives.. Games... This is all about games. sony and nintendo have the best developers and are the best at making games.. No question or arguement can be made about that.

[Rhythmattic]

taco,
you do realise PS2 was backwards compatible with PS1 o launch.. The launch PS3 was backwards compatible with hardware, not software emulation...Theres a reason the emotion chip was dropped from the P3, and the following sku's had software emulation, in which not all titles were particularly solid...... This was to reduce cost.... Now everyPS up to PS3 had BC on Launch... ON LAUNCH.
Theres a reason with the PS4 there was no BC... The Cell cannot be emulated buy even a decent PC, Little lone a console... Sure, theres a emulator out there, but still it only runs a few games.. Even with PSnow, Sony use PS3 a proprietary rack that has equivalent of 8 Cell PS3 machines... Its Not X86 Architecture..... If X86 could run the Equivalent of 8 PS3's in a rack, dont you think sony would be running them???
And to use your own statement, say modified..
"specially since they threw out the window the *entire* proprietary architecture model, precisely because they chose to listen to Developers/Programmers - and respond to - criticism.
by Getting Mark Cerny involved, and listing, really listening to people in the industry, sony now have a platform that can develop through time, instead of taking steps back due to new unknown architecture even new gen....

As just ignore remote play, and Share play... Something the PS4's been doing for years... Oh , and streaming PSnow, oh, and as of today i noticed iOS is supported......Interesting....
To Add, The PSVR Rocks..... Go on, Hate on it.

[Dragonscale]

@taco, pure desperation. Ms know they can't compete directly with Sony or Nintendo so have to use subterfuge, all that stuff you quote is pure virtue signalling. The only thing they listened to was the sound of crickets at the start of this gen.

[darthv72]

@rhythm... and the 7800 was bc with 2600. So Sony copied Atari.

[rainslacker]

Sony hasn't had much criticism aimed at them because they haven't done as much wrong. Cross play and censorship are about the only two things that have really had any traction, and the "no games" argument died much quicker than I would have thought, which is probably good for the Xbox fans because of how MS is releasing games now. Cross play is a business decision which wasn't that big of a deal in the bigger picture. Censorship may be an issue going forward, but it's fairly new, and Sony isn't usually quick to react to anything. BC may be a thing, but Sony has extensive data on how many people use it, and what it's worth to try...so again, a business decision. What it ultimately comes down to though is that none of those criticisms are having an effect on PS, they are on Xbox. hence, MS has to react.

MS has had to do the most change because they've done the most wrong, and if you really look at it, MS is moving more towards services which require a connection, so they're just taking smaller steps towards the same goal.

In any case, MS is more trying to remedy its criticisms to be in a stronger position next gen. They've all but given up on this gen, so is it really answering the call to consumers that they are pretty much not even bothering to try with the X1 anymore. It's mostly just saving face. I don't see how that's in any way commendable. We don't know what Sony will do next gen, because they're providing for their players this gen. They have from the start, they will probably do so next gen. If they need to react or adjust due to market forces, they will. But this gen, they started off right, and have continued to do so.

[RizBiz]

That's some next level fanboying there. Impressive.

[gamer7804]

just because you are lacking in one area, doesn't mean you can't work toward fixing that, and concurrently have other teams within the company still innovate in other areas. (Also marketing is a totally different division, whether they are the leader or not they have a job to do) Nice try though.

[Prubar]

What does any of your bickering have to do with the article? Sony wasn’t mentioned in the title.

[optimus]

@rainslacker....i was paraphrasing because it was so long ago but here you go.... it's #10 on that list...there, happy now? of course, i'm expecting you to say it's not the same thing. (rolls eyes) https://www.theregister.co....

[Atom666]

Ahh, #3 ...My first time in a class action. I got a Santana CD and like $6 or $7.

[optimus]

...and just like that, these sony backers turn into crickets. 😄

[william_cade]

Nice. Diablo immortal will look great.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

Seems to me Microsoft is headed towards console-less gaming way sooner than expected

[Kribwalker]

except for the fact they have already said they will continue to make consoles including a new one that was announced at last E3 that’s rumoured to release next year. Ms is moving beyond consoles yes, but they will still be making dedicated consoles

[Shikoku]

That has no disc drive and is basically not a console in any way but is actually a local stream receiver.

[Kribwalker]

A streaming console, a low end console and a high end console.
https://www.businessinsider...

They are giving lots of options to people to play what they want, where they want, including a high powered dedicated console

[THC CELL]

How so I've been on remote play ps4 for years started with a vita now xperia and iphones and android also not a amazing experience but will do some games well

[Shikoku]

Wouldnt say the experience is amazing but most games are playable

[gamer7804]

ORRRR they , as Microsoft likes to do, have multiple revenue streams, I know crazy talk....

[akbennyewu]

Wow, how dare you mention such a sound and reasonable business strategy...what a jerk.

[EliteComments123]

exactly dumb comments i agree with u about

[ElementX]

I doubt they'll ditch XBox any time soon.

https://www.onmsft.com/news...

[gam3r_4_lif3]

Yeah thats why they will have the most powerful console next gen, because they are pulling out of a profitable business

[thexmanone]

Don`t seem like it With 3 console coming next Gen, I`m only seeing more options too play games.

[DillyDilly]

So how will this work will we need an actual XBOX turned on like with PC Remote Play ? Im assuming we would be able to play our digital games on other platforms yes ?

[crazyCoconuts]

This is just an set of tools that a mobile game developer could use to, say, let you log into XBL from the game, and track achievements in the game that you could see from your Xbox/Xbox apps. Allows mobile games to play in the Xbox ecosystem. Would support things like parties too. It's up to the mobile game developers to use it if they want to....

[boing1]

That is actually a brilliant idea but shows the direction they are heading.

[mark_parch]

I'm loving it, my dream is that one day I can buy one console and play every single game on it. Imagine how amazing it would be if I could buy a ps5 with back compat and then have game pass on it for all the Microsoft games, just need to get Nintendo involved some how lol.

[Shikoku]

Sound terrible. Remote play on my device works but its really limited.

[averagejoe26]

Nobody wanted to play xbox games this gen.

Now you can not want to play them on your phone, too!

[mark_parch]

Is this tech restricted to Microsoft games? I thought I worked with any game that is available on xbox

[Gwiz]

Zeh powah of zeh cloud.

[akbennyewu]

Let's spin this as bad news somehow!!!!

[rainslacker]

It's not bad. It's nothing overly special. It's not something for playing games on mobile, that'd be xCloud. It's just a way to access XBL on mobile. Some limited XBL functionality already exists, and can be added in by devs with their own attempts, although it required different servers. This will integrate it more into the base Xbox API, and allow for a more streamlined development process for those that want to have such functions. There's some achievement functionality too, but given how such things are implemented in other games that have a mobile counterpart, that seems like a good way to add in MT while one's not even playing the game. Like an in game trophy that requires you log in through another device. Something which is actually prohibited at the moment, although I assume compliance standards may be updated.

[akbennyewu]

100% agree, not bad at all, not special until something comes of it.

[Italiano1234567]

Ive been able to do this for years with playstation. Didnt know it was a big deal.

[opc]

you've been able to play android and apple games and unlock achievements on you playstation account? Did you invent this and keep it to yourself?

[GMEN718]

5G will be the death to us ALL!!! #staywoke

[rainslacker]

I'm waiting for 6G. Just brought a new Samsung S9. It was expensive. I'm not going to be in any hurry to get a new phone for 5G. I had my cheap ass $99 pre-paid phone to use on my regular service for 5 years and was fine with it. 5G will get some people excited, but it's only going to be in the most expensive phones for at least another 3-4 years after it releases, because the mobile space has no desire to reduce the cost of its phones as quickly as the PC/Console market is moving forward, because people will actually pay a grand or more for a new phone.

[thexmanone]

You watch YouTube too much.

[AK91]

Yup its happening.

[thexmanone]

Yep, MS if giving us more ways too play there games.

[HighPlayer28]

Can't wait to test it out. Microsoft you better execute this plan quickly before Google.

[Einhander1971]

Latency will always be a problem.

[thexmanone]

No

[Thundercat77]

You may remember this same strategy MS used on Windows Phone... At first, they had Microsoft exclusive apps for WP. That was their way to compete against Apple and Google. Then, when they saw WP was not working, they decided to put their apps on iOS and Android, then, slowly, they killed WP.

The same will happen with Xbox hardware.

[FGHFGHFGH]

Yeah surprisingly windows phone had some dedicated users, but less than 5 years after ms spent over 7 billion on Nokia, windows phone is dead. A lot of windows phone users used to say that there was no way Microsoft would kill windows phone.....not after they just spent 7 billion! I think if the next xbox continues to lose a lot of market-share than MS will consider dropping consoles.

[Xavi4K]

Huge