Xbox Cloud Gaming Introduces “Stream Your Own Games” Feature.
Microsoft today is announcing a long-awaited feature for Xbox Cloud Gaming: the ability to stream some games you already own. Starting today, players can take advantage of the feature on a range of platforms, from TVs to Meta Quest VR headsets to supported browsers on phones, tablets, and PCs. This rollout is available in all regions for Xbox Cloud Gaming, and compatibility will be extended to Xbox consoles and the Windows Xbox app by next year.
Requirements and Supported Games
In order to use this, the user will need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Unlike in the previous system, where this streaming could only happen on games available on Game Pass, this rollout lets users stream their own games. At launch, 50 games will be supported, with more coming onboard over time. Some of the top titles include Cyberpunk 2077, Stray, The Witcher 3, Baldur’s Gate 3, NBA 2K25, and some Final Fantasy titles, to name a few. They can be streamed through the “stream your own game” category on Xbox Cloud Gaming.
However, there are some limitations. According to an Xbox spokesperson, the feature only supports games that were digitally purchased. This means that players with physical copies, such as Farming Simulator 25, cannot stream those titles, though they can still use remote play if the disc is inserted into an Xbox Series X.
Limitations of the Feature
While this update gives players much more freedom, it also hints at the slow incorporation of an all-digital gaming world from Xbox. While its benefits include having access to most existing cloud-based features, the disadvantages would lie in areas characterized by slow or unstable Internet connections-thus limiting gamers’ ability to access said features. On the flip side, this change of course allows Xbox to grow its cloud gaming service without having the expenses associated with licensing titles that are available on Game Pass.
The distribution rolls into Xbox’s broader strategy of making gaming more accessible across different devices, an idea that the company spelled out in detail through its recent ad campaign. The central theme here is that any device can be an “Xbox,” basically turning TVs, phones, and VR headsets into a gaming platform.
Interestingly, it comes just a day after Sony started public testing cloud gaming on the PlayStation Portal. Many have criticized Sony for missing an opportunity to launch this device and not having the cloud gaming, leaving this move as perhaps one with good timing to show off leadership and innovation on Xbox’s part when it comes to cloud gaming.
Source: Xbox
