Backward Compatibility Reaches the Clouds for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Members

There’s a magical moment when you open up Kameo, an original launch title for Xbox 360, and it shows you last played in 2008, and you’re able to jump right back into the game like you never left.

[RazzerRedux]

I think if Microsoft really wanted to leverage their 360 library they would work to bring 360 emulation to PC and offer games like Fable 2 on Game Pass for PC.

[Wikkid666]

Their goal would be to keep moving forward will the streaming service. Get the latency down on that so there wouldn't be a need for an emulator.

[Tacoboto]

His point is... they could bring *that* emulator from the cloud hardware and let us be able to run 360-exclusive games on our own PCs.

I'd understand third party games being excluded by licensing deals, but it would be awesome if MS could have 360 emulation as a download into the Windows App for at least their own titles.

[Orchard]

My guess is they haven't done this just because getting reliable/predictable performance with emulation on PC where there's a billion hardware configurations is complicated. Easier to have it running on fixed hardware and streamed to the PC.

[Eidolon]

It's never going to look or be as latency free as even emulation.

[DJStotty]

@saishi

I can not comment on other cloud streaming platforms, but the only issue i have had with xcloud, is the odd bit of freezing, but other than that the games seem to play ok, at least on my galaxy S9.

It's not perfect, but it is good enough for dropping into a game on a work break or lunch.

PS - when i am at home, i do not use xcloud, i use the console. And xcloud performs quite well for something still in beta.

[DJStotty]

@RazzerRedux

Those that want 360 emulation on PC, have been able to do that for years.

I have a PS2 emulator on my mobile.

[RazzerRedux]

Obviously I'm talking about the official Xbox 360 emulation that Microsoft created and not third party emulators.

[CaptainHenry916]

That would be cool. Not going to lie but Microsoft has been saving me lot's of money with GamePass for PC

[Jericho1337]

Great news, glad xcloud isn’t limited just to xbo/xbs games.

[autobotdan]

Finally some Xbox 360 games on X-Cloud for play on cell phones. Took them a long time. I'll play some Morrowind and Oblivion on my phone. Thank you Microsoft

[autobotdan]

Can we please get Ninja Gaiden 2 for X-Cloud please. Since Tecmo will not put original Gaiden 2 on switch. I want to play a portable Ninja Gaiden 2 at work on my lunch hours

[Tacoboto]

It was on Game Pass until a month or two before they announced the Master Collection - very likely not a coincidence.

[autobotdan]

I just would love the option to play Ninia Gaiden 2 anywhere. That would be a dream game to take around. I am not asking for Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 portable. I want Ninja Gaiden 2 portable

[Father__Merrin]

What you would whip out a phone and then whip out a controller on your break to play games?

[autobotdan]

Merrin I always keep a extra Xbox One controller in my walmart work locker 365 days a year. Literally. I've been playing Xbox One games on my lunch hour on my phone for over 1 year. I was a x-cloud beta tester since the beginning

[DeadManMMX]

I got this backbone one and have been using it non stop during down time at work. I’ve been remote playing Octopath Traveler getting my grind in. I really love this thing. Highly recommended. Cmon XCloud iOS. This news is good because I want to eventually play Lost Odyssey the same way.

[crazyh0rse]

BackBone is a great ios controller addon been at work for 14 hours now and the controller works perfectly. i think it's better than razer kishi

[DeadManMMX]

Yeah everyone says it’s better then Kishi but that was the other one i weighed before going with this one. This thing feels premium right out of the box.

[Guitardr85]

As a PC gamer (not exclusively) I really enjoy the value of games pass. It's great that I can play a new game for essentially $12 lol

[Kerppamaister]

Where am I gonna find time to play Morrowind?

[Tacoboto]

Now that it's on Cloud, hopefully they'll extend this to Remote Play. Still on their RP website - "Currently excludes backward compatible titles from Xbox 360 or Original Xbox."

[Automatic79]

Xbox not taking foot off the pedal. Good job.

[Lore]

Idk how Sony as a company does not look at this as something they should be offering. They literally do not know what to do with their Gaikai purchase

[BattleCat]

You can play on psnow many ps2/ps3 games, years ago so WTF?

[Lore]

That is the bare minimum they should offer. They are not currently forward thinking, MSFT is spending/investing heavily on this tech that will essentially permit you to play your games anywhere and on any device. You gotta tip your cap to them.

[Father__Merrin]

There's no controls when you load up a game on x cloud. It's cumbersome to bring a controller to play on your phone

[Orchard]

Just get one of the Switch style controllers - then it is no different from taking your Switch. Problem solved.

[RazzerRedux]

Not really. It would be difficult for the majority of people out there who put cases on their phones. They would have to pull the phone out of the case and then attach the controllers on the ends. I think most would rather just settle for games made with the touchscreen in mind.

[Orchard]

That untrue though. Most switch style controllers either come with a phone case that you can use everyday (like a normal case) which just allows you to attach the controller pieces on the side, or the controller just grips onto your existing third party case.

And I dunno - most of the console games I play I wouldn’t like to play with touch controls to be honest.

[RazzerRedux]

It isn't untrue unless you've found a ton of options that I can't seem to find. These.....

https://www.razer.com/mobil...

https://www.amazon.com/Game...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B...

....don't have cases and don't work with cases. But please provide examples of what you are talking about because I can't find them.

"And I dunno - most of the console games I play I wouldn’t like to play with touch controls to be honest."

That's why most will just stick to mobile games made for mobile.

[Orchard]

Of the three you listed...

Razer - supports cases if you remove/don’t attach the rubber inserts.

Gamesir - works with most cases, unless the case is abnormally shaped or sized.

The only one that doesn’t is the last one.

You also forgot to add the Razer junglecat which comes with a standard case.

“ That's why most will just stick to mobile games made for mobile.”

This argument doesn’t really make sense when phone + streaming + switch style controller is basically equivalent to gaming on a switch and the switch is so popular for gaming on-the-go.

Luckily the industry is full of innovators like Razer who instead of just saying “that’s a problem, people should just play mobile games instead”, go out and solve it.

You’re looking for a problem where there isn’t one. XCloud and stadia etc are totally playable on a cellphone with no more inconvenience than that of a Switch - if you have the right hardware.

[RazzerRedux]

"Razer - supports cases if you remove/don’t attach the rubber inserts."

No, it does not. That's a hack some guy on reddit came up with that includes putting sticky pads inside the controller to make it fit.

"Gamesir - works with most cases, unless the case is abnormally shaped or sized."

10mm or smaller. So this simple clear case for the iPhone 12 won't work as it is too large:

https://www.amazon.com/Spig...

That is a thin phone and a thin case. You have to take it out of the case to use it with that controller. Don't say "most case". You are making that up.

"You also forgot to add the Razer junglecat which comes with a standard case."

There is no such thing as a "standard case". That controller case only has options that fit four smart phones: Razer Phone 2, Huawei P30 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and Samsung Galaxy S10+
https://www.razer.com/mobil...

"You’re looking for a problem where there isn’t one. XCloud and stadia etc are totally playable on a cellphone with no more inconvenience than that of a Switch - if you have the right hardware."

No, you are pretending the problem doesn't exist. You can equate this to gaming on a switch all you want, but that's just nonsense. Switch is superior to this in every way as the device was designed from the start to function as a handheld. These add-ons are trying to incorporate solutions on to products that were designed for touch screen. But yeah, I agree "if you have the right hardware" and you don't mind carrying it around with you....but even then it doesn't equate to Switch.

[Orchard]

And you are entitled to your opinion. For me, with my Razer pad, gaming on XCloud etc is no different from gaming on Switch.

I'm enjoying both of them, a lot. There's some games I can play on the go that I never thought I would ever be able to play on a mobile device anytime soon. Just because you don't like it or aren't enjoying it doesn't invalidate others opinions.

And XCloud is pretty new, I'm sure as developers start making more games for it, there will be more on-screen consoles for folk like you that don't want to carry around controllers.

[RazzerRedux]

"Just because you like it and are enjoying it doesn't invalidate others opinions. "

Ah....there. See? It works both ways, now doesn't it?

[RazzerRedux]

Good point. And then there is the fact that most mobile gamers prefer games that were made for mobile. Maybe playing games made for large screens will appeal to mobile gamers, but I have doubts.

[RazzerRedux]

@PrimeGam3r

"Lol good point? You guys are just sad at this point. No use arguing with you."

The next time I see someone playing a game on their phone with an actual gamepad will be the first time. You can pretend this is "sad" all you want, but you are being willfully ignorant if you think carrying around a controller to play games on your phone is ideal. Most are not going to do that. They are going to play games that use the touchscreen.

[DJStotty]

@RazzerRedux

"you are being willfully ignorant if you think carrying around a controller to play games on your phone is ideal. Most are not going to do that."

That is why things that people use whilst travelling (i call them bags or rucksacks) were invented.

[RazzerRedux]

@DJStotty

That's fine for people who are traveling and have constant access to the internet and actually want to play AAA big screen games on a phone. I don't see this as appealing to every day gamers. But....I could be wrong.

[Atom666]

Yeah. Depends on the person I guess. To me Switch (and Vita before it) weren't really great for big screen AAA type games, but obviously some people disagree. It's why I never really got into remote play on PS4, and try not to play too many bigger games in handheld mode on switch.

I did buy a controller clip for xcloud. It seemed like the cheap option. I've only used it a few times, but I plan to try it out more the next time I travel.

[DJStotty]

Maybe put it in a bag?

Chances are if you are commuting to work/college etc, you will already have a bag on you, if you want to game in your spare time, whip out the controller.

[Sayai jin]

Nice. Keep it up.

[Destiny1080]

an April's fools joke

oh wait, there being serious

[Bronbron92]

I’m pretty curious on who is actually buying the next gen Xbox X/S to really mainly play older games it’s a good move to keep older games around even on the gamepass service but you have hundreds or thousands of games there that probably won’t be played or just clearly over looked by bigger games within, and for the xcloud talk I can’t see many people going around playing games in public like that hell I rarely see someone with a switch out and about

[Germaximus]

I'm confused, is it not possible to play via xcloud on the actual xbox system?

[explosivetemper]

Just gimme NFL 2K5 please...