In the video, we can see the transition of Project xCloud from mobile to PC looks fairly seamless. Microsoft is currently still developing the PC version of the service so there may be some obvious differences when it is launched. According to the report, there was no latency when playing Project xCloud on PC. It is worth noting the PC in question is Microsoft’s Surface Pro X, which is the company’s first ARM-based device. The video shows that xCloud on PC will retain full support for touch screens. Of course, some PCs do not have touch screens, but many do, including most of Microsoft’s Surface line up.
Changing the Game
For PC users, Project xCloud is a potential game changer. High-end gaming on PC has traditionally been off limits for most users, unless they are prepared to spend big on a decent gaming PC. For people with a normal laptop, they have needed to purchase a console to get quality gaming. Microsoft’s streaming service has the ability to change this and open console quality gaming to all PC users. That’s because xCloud is based entirely on Microsoft’s own Azure servers. This essentially means the company handles all the heavy lifting, so users won’t need a laptop with cutting edge gaming hardware. That’s also the reason why xCloud works on mobile devices, and Microsoft is even working on transitioning the platform to TVs. Through the next five years, the growth of xCloud will be interesting to watch as it may one day make consoles largely obsolete, or at least more niche. Still, early bumper sales of the Xbox Series X show that evolution is nowhere near on the horizon.
