Xbox Series X/S Will Soon Be Able To Play Google Stadia
There's finally some good news for Google Stadia, with the controversial cloud gaming service reportedly coming to Xbox Series X/S. The battle of the next-gen consoles has heated up since the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S last year. While Sony seems to be edging ahead in terms of sales, there's a big upgrade coming to Microsoft's systems. With a new Microsoft Edge Chromium-powered browser, it also means the Xboxes will be able to play Google Stadia.
It's no secret that since its launch in late-2019, Google has struggled to live up to the expectations of Stadia. Competing against the likes of Sony's PlayStation Now, Nvidia's GeForce Now, and Amazon's Luna, Stadia also went up against Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming and has hit several stumbling blocks. As well as criticisms about a lack of games, Stadia was caught in the crossfire of Cyberpunk 2077's backlash and made the shocking decision to shutter in-house development when it closed Stadia Games and Entertainment last month.
How can you play Google Stadia on Xbox?
According to The Verge, Microsoft has started testing the browser as part of the company's Xbox's Alpha Skip-Ahead group. The site claims that while the latest version of Edge is a little buggy and currently doesn't have full mouse and keyboard support, it's a lot better than what we're used to. The added benefit of a Chromium browser includes the ability to run browser-based streaming services, with Google Stadia and Amazon Luna being a potentially massive pull.
The site also notes that while the Series X and Series S already have access to the Xbox Game Pass, you should be able to run the Xbox's Cloud Gaming service through the browser when support is added in Spring 2021. Finally, there are hopes of improved compatibility for browser-based gaming and services including Skype and Discord. In terms of cloud gaming services, adding Stadia to the growing catalogue is a big win. Despite the Xbox Game Pass being held as one of the best packages on the market, hardcore gamers likely have several services running at once. Stadia on Xbox could be the boost the struggling cloud gaming service needs.
In terms of how Stadia is playing on Xbox, one happy fan reported, "I just did a quick test and yes, Stadia works, did a quick test with Destiny and it plays as good as it does when running Chrome on PC". Well, at least there's some positivity in the midst of all the Stadia scandals. The early Chromium browser looks like it has the same sync engine used across Edge, meaning there's support for extensions, Collections, and all the other Edge desktop features. With support for the current version of Edge on desktop ending on March 9, Microsoft will be rolling out the shiny new version soon.
Looking at the bigger picture, Microsoft is planning to launch Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for PC and iOS in the next few months to make the most of cloud gaming. At the moment, those who've signed up for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can play over 100 games on Android - by using a cloud compatible controller. Of these games, around 20 also support touch control. Discussing what's next for Xbox Game Pass streaming on consoles, Xbox boss Phil Spencer previously told the Twitterverse, “Yes, we want to do this,” he said last year. “It’s in the long list of cool things the xCloud team is working on, just a bit further down the list. But we want console and PC players to be able to browse as easily as mobile players, it’s a good gamepass feature".
Stadia's Phil Harrison has promised 2021 will be bigger and better, while over 100 new game releases should help the once-troubled service move into a new era. A crossover with the Xbox Series X/S might be one that we'd never thought of before, but here's hoping it's a success for Stadia.
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