Microsoft has been testing its Project xCloud cloud game streaming service and recently expanded the preview. With Google’s Stadia already launched, xCloud already has competition on the market. Despite early reviews suggesting Microsoft has an early quality lead over Google, as always, content will be king.
Of course, Microsoft can call on its vast array of Xbox games for Project xCloud. We already know Microsoft Studio games will be available on xCloud. This provides the platform with titles users can’t get anywhere else.
But what about other exclusives. Will Microsoft be able to tie up third-party exclusive games that won’t be available on rival platforms? In an interview with Stevivor, Microsoft’s Kareem Choundry says the company is in discussions, but nothing is confirmed.
“In terms of exclusives, we’re in early talks with first and third-parties, but we don’t have any announcements to share,” Choudhry told Stevivor. “New content and IP take eighteen months to two years [to develop].”
Choundry points out Microsoft’s current focus is on allowing 3,000 games from Xbox to run on Project xCloud.
“The first thing that we’re doing is… just lifting and shifting content that doesn’t require any development changes into the cloud,” Choundry stated. “So right away we’ve got a platform that can run any of the 3000 games you can run on Xbox today.”
Rival Platforms
It’s that Xbox catalog that really sets Project xCloud apart from Google Stadia. Certainly, Google Stadia reviews have been mixed, with most testers believing the platform feels unfinished. That’s a problem for Google considering Stadia has been fully launched.
At the same time, early testers of xCloud have been positive about the preview ahead of its full launch.
