Seismic Xbox Game Pass upgrade could change the way you game forever
Quick Summary
Xbox Cloud Gaming could soon receive a number of key enhancements to make it a much better service.
There are also suggestions that it could be available outside of an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription too.
Microsoft is reportedly working on several big upgrades to its Xbox Cloud Gaming service to make it run closer to playing games on local hardware. And that could include a bump in resolution and frame rates.
Currently part of an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, Xbox Cloud Gaming offers 100s of games that players can stream over a data connection to multiple devices. This includes phones, tablets, Smart TVs from Samsung and LG, and even Amazon Fire TV Sticks.
As long as you have an Xbox controller or Bluetooth equivalent, you can play a whole host of big name games, as well as many you might not have heard of before. Some even come with touchscreen controls, for playing on an iPhone, iPad or Android device without a dedicated gamepad.
Day one releases are available on the service too, even the likes of the recently released Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 +4, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. While subscribers can also play many of their own purchased Xbox games through the cloud.
In fact, it's a well-rounded, extremely accessible service that works well as an accompaniment to conventional console and PC gaming. It just isn't quite ready to replace them.
That's where the upgrades come in.
Renowned Xbox expert Jez Corden of Windows Central believes that Microsoft is currently working on next-gen technologies and features for Xbox Cloud Gaming to make it a more attractive rival to traditional gaming platforms.
A reduction in latency
He suggests that a further reduction in latency is key, with measures being taken to eliminate the lag between controller motion or button press and the action being shown on screen. One of those is to release a new Xbox Wireless Controller that connects directly to the a home network when playing cloud games, rather than needing to send control codes to a device, which are then sent on to a remote server.
By cutting out the middle-man, so to speak, it'll help reduce latency. This is something Google attempted with its failed Stadia service, and Amazon achieves with its Luna gamepad.
In addition, Corden claims that Microsoft is considering switching the hosted games to PC versions rather than Xbox. This could enable the games to be more scaleable in terms of settings, while servers could be faster and less hamstrung by console technology.
When it comes to console exclusives, they could run through emulation.
It could also allow the service to offer higher resolutions and frame rates. Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently locked to 1080p at up to 60 frames per second, whereas Nvidia's major rival, GeForce Now, offers an Ultimate tier with up to 4K and 240fps streaming (albeit not at the same time).
This would be dependent on users' own network connections and an increase in bit rates, but it's doable – as Nvidia has proved.
Xbox Cloud Gaming subscription
The other route that Corden suggests Microsoft could go in is to launch new, cloud only payment plans.
You can currently only subscribe to Xbox Cloud Gaming through Game Pass Ultimate, which doesn't really make much sense if all you want is to play games on a Fire TV Stick. In that case, you don't need a library of games to download onto an Xbox Series X/S or PC, nor many of the other benefits membership adds.
GeForce Now has three tiers – Free, Performance, and Ultimate – with different levels of streaming quality and priority access. Microsoft could adopt similar in the future.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is still just in public beta mode at present – it has been since launch – so enhancements and upgrades could come with a push to a final release model. Certainly, with non-gaming manufacturers like LG and Samsung adding the service to their TVs, there's a market for more casual gamers to enjoy the latest and greatest without needing dedicated hardware.
Maybe if the changes are as seismic as hoped, some of the more dyed-in-the-wool gamers will consider it too.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rate and Chicago White Sox to Host Tribute Honoring Military Families at Rate Field on July 25
Rate CHICAGO, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rate, a leading fintech company, will proudly honor America's military families during its second annual Military Appreciation Game with the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Held on Friday, July 25, the event will be a powerful tribute to service, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of the armed forces. A pregame 'Take the Field' recognition will spotlight all seven Military Spouses of the Year, each representing a different branch of the U.S. military. They will be honored on the field as they meet with White Sox players at each defensive position in a moving pregame moment of appreciation and respect. The evening's Hero of the Game will be Marine Corps Captain Riley Tejcek, an active-duty officer, Olympic bobsled hopeful, author, and rising digital voice, who embodies the strength and versatility of today's military leaders. A highlight of the night will be a parachute jump into Rate Field, delivering the game ball into the hands of a military child who will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Justin Holmes, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Nashville recording artist, will perform the National Anthem, bringing added meaning to this celebration of country and community. 'This night, honoring the military is our way of saying thank you,' said Victor Ciardelli, CEO of Rate. 'Military families are the backbone of this country, and we're proud to celebrate and serve them.' Earlier in the day, Rate will host a brunch and service project at its Chicago headquarters to welcome the honorees and connect them with company employees and leadership. The gathering will include a hands-on volunteer initiative supporting military causes. On game day, attendees will also be able to connect with key organizations at Rate Field, including: Marine Corps Recruiting Command Hiring Our Heroes United Through Reading Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) The evening coincides with a crosstown matchup between the White Sox and the Cubs, adding even more excitement to what is expected to be a deeply memorable occasion. This celebration is part of Rate's unwavering commitment to military families nationwide. Through its leading VA loan program, the company has waived more than $65 million in lender fees and actively supports military-focused nonprofits and educational initiatives throughout the year.
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
House Republicans vote to rename Kennedy Center opera house after Melania Trump
Congressional Republicans are moving forward with a plan to rename the Kennedy Center opera house after Melania Trump. Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson added an amendment to the Interior-Environment spending bill that most of the center's funding for the 2026 fiscal year would be contingent on changing the name to the 'First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.' The Appropriations Committee voted 33-25 to approve the amendment. The bill will still need to go to a vote in the House and pass in the Senate before a Sept. 30 deadline. 'As Chairman of the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee — which oversees federal funding for capital repairs and operations and maintenance at the Kennedy Center — I am proud to honor (Melania Trump's) support and commitment in promoting the arts and humanities,' Simpson said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENT President Trump took over as the center's chair in February, ousting longtime board members and installing allies on the board and as trustees. The Trumps both attended the opening night performance of 'Les Misérables' at the Kennedy Center last month, where they were met by boos from the audience. The opera house, the second-largest venue at the Kennedy Center, is the site of the annual Kennedy Center Honors, the nation's highest award for lifetime achievement in the arts. The Trumps did not attend the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term. _____
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Charter and Comcast Announce Agreement to Leverage T-Mobile 5G for Wireless Business Customers
PHILADELPHIA & STAMFORD, Conn. & BELLEVUE, Wash., July 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Charter (NASDAQ: CHTR) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) today announced they have entered into a multi-year exclusive agreement with T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) to utilize its network to deliver mobile services to their business customers across the United States. Service is set to launch in 2026. Charter and Comcast's innovative wireless partnership will leverage the power of T-Mobile's advanced mobile network through a long-term Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) relationship. The MVNO will expand Charter's and Comcast's leadership in delivering wireline and wireless offerings supported by the nation's largest and fastest broadband and WiFi networks. Mobile services will be offered by Charter and Comcast under the Spectrum Mobile for Business and Comcast Business Mobile brands, respectively. "T-Mobile is pleased to work with Charter and Comcast to deliver their U.S. business customers connectivity on the mobile network with more new customer growth than any other network over the past five years," said Omar Tazi, T-Mobile EVP and Chief Product and Digital Officer. "This partnership complements what our T-Mobile for Business group already offers and expands the reach of T-Mobile's network to even more business customers beyond those we currently serve. This is truly a win-win as Charter and Comcast Business customers are benefitting from T-Mobile's advanced network and T-Mobile gains incremental value from the unique business segment that our partners serve today with broadband." "Comcast Business delivers advanced, converged solutions to business customers by uniting the scale of our nationwide WiFi network, gig-plus speeds, and the integration of top-tier 5G mobile capabilities," said Edward Zimmermann, President, Comcast Business. "Our capital-light partnership with T-Mobile further strengthens our growth strategy in wireless for business customers and provides them exceptional value." "Spectrum Mobile for Business offers a truly converged connectivity experience, combining gig-powered internet and superior WiFi service with a premium 5G mobile network," said Danny Bowman, Executive Vice President, Product, Charter Communications. "This partnership with T-Mobile will allow us to rapidly and cost-effectively bring even more value to our Spectrum Mobile business customers." Through their mobile businesses, Comcast and Charter have collectively grown to more than 18 million residential and business mobile lines since they introduced their services in 2017 and 2018, respectively. T-Mobile has been providing wireless services to MVNOs for more than 20 years, utilizing its deep expertise to deliver transformative solutions as a market leader in the MVNO space. Charter and Comcast will continue to develop wireless business solutions using the best of in-home WiFi, out-of-home WiFi, proprietary 5G cellular networks leveraging CBRS spectrum, and now multiple MVNO cellular networks.