The greatest strength of Microsoft’s current gaming strategy is the effort that’s gone into synergy. The interconnectivity between Xbox platforms and services is unparalleled in the industry. The Xbox Game Pass and xCloud game services, in particular, are growing rapidly. As such, it makes sense that Microsoft is continuing to focus on improving those services over time. The latest example to be announced is a plan to upgrade xCloud to begin delivering 1080p game streaming.
WindowsCentral reports that an unnamed game developer recently sent over a screencap of Hellblade running over xCloud. The screenshot featured information provided to developers via the service. For example, it lists bandwidth, round-trip time, and jitter, so developers can account for the stability of their streaming connection when evaluating the state of the game. The last bit of information available via the tool is resolution, which is listed as 1920×1080.
This is notable because up until now the xCloud service has been restricting game streaming to just 720p. Given that a significant majority of televisions, monitors, and even smartphone screens are 1080p or above, a 720p limit is understandably a negative for the xCloud brand. It’s also understandable, as a lower resolution means that xCloud is able to deliver a smoother and more consistent streaming experience. For a new service, establishing a reliable technological foundation is perhaps more important than even key features.
It appears that Microsoft is confident to a degree that it’s ready to start experimenting with improving the resolution of xCloud to 1080p. That doesn’t mean that 1080p will be going live for consumers soon or even at all, but it’s the start of that process. Barring any major issues coming up, Microsoft could be unlocking 1080p for xCloud within months. 2021 would be a reasonable conclusion.
One reason for the movement toward 1080p support in xCloud is Microsoft’s confirmed shift from Xbox One server architecture to Xbox Series X. The shift was announced to take place over the year, so it makes sense that testing for the technology would be starting now. The Xbox Series X architecture would be able to support higher resolutions much more easily than the Xbox One.
While Microsoft is clearly prioritizing only stepping up to 1080p when it’s ready, it’s also no secret that xCloud is behind its competitors here. Google Stadia, Amazon Luna, GeForce Now, and others all support 1080p resolution streaming already. Microsoft may be doing the right thing for the xCloud service long-term, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t looking at the short-term. The sooner polished 1080p xCloud streaming arrives, the better for xCloud.
xCloud is currently available on Android devices, with PC and iOS support planned in 2021.
Source: Windows Central
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