Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S getting cloud gaming this Christmas

Just click and play (pic: Microsoft)

You’ll soon able to play over 100 Xbox Series X/S and PC games by streaming them on your Xbox One, as Microsoft expands xCloud.

Microsoft’s pre-Gamescom livestream might have been a bit of a non-event but there were a few moments of interest in the 90 minute marathon, including what may well turn out to be the very future of video gaming itself.

It certainly seems inevitable that at some point in the future cloud streaming of video games will make consoles obsolete. The only question is when, which is something that has more to do with broadband speed and reliability than anything console manufacturers have control of.

Nevertheless, Microsoft is proceeding with its cloud gaming plans, with the service already available on mobile, PC, and now consoles – including the Xbox One.

Using it on Xbox One means that you can play Xbox Series X or PC versions of games that would never run on last gen tech, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator and The Medium.

Although if you have an Xbox Series X/S there’s still a benefit, in that you can start playing a game without ever installing it, which is handy for multiplayer games in particular.

The only limitation is that the games will only run at a maximum of 1080p resolution, instead of anything higher. Although they will all run at a ‘targeted’ 60fps.

Testing will begin this autumn, if you’re a member of the Xbox Insider programme, with the service becoming available for everyone this Christmas.

More: Games news

To use cloud gaming all you need is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, which provides over 100 games to play via streaming.

At one point Microsoft was hoping to get its cloud gaming service onto other consoles, as well as just neutral devices, with lots of rumours that they were courting Nintendo. That seems to have come to nothing though, with Microsoft admitting recently that it’s not going to happen anytime soon.

Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, and follow us on Twitter.

MORE : Xbox boss praises Steam Deck handheld – can run xCloud

MORE : Xbox Cloud Gaming now available to everyone on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

MORE : Portal designer joins Xbox as cloud gaming senior director

Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk

For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.