Microsoft Launches Fire TV Devices with Xbox Cloud Gaming Support

The partnership between Amazon and Xbox brings game streaming to Fire TV devices for users with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. Starting in July, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max owners in over 25 countries will be able to access the extensive Game Pass library via the Xbox app. Xbox says that “we’re excited to add Fire TV to our growing family of cloud gaming devices and we’re eager to welcome new players to the experience.”

Prior to this partnership, the only way to access Xbox Cloud Gaming without an Xbox console was through Samsung Smart TVs (2022 and newer) and Meta’s Quest VR headsets. It’s currently the cheapest option to join Xbox Game Pass, with supported Fire TV devices (Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Stick 4K) starting at $40. This is a great move as Xbox continues to try to grow its service’s subscriber base and find new sources of revenue.

Owners of supported Fire TV devices who want to check it out will need to install the Xbox app and then sign in with their Microsoft account. You’ll also need to connect a Bluetooth-enabled controller to play, which includes Xbox controllers, PlayStation DualSense controllers, and DualShock 4 controllers. Anyone without a Game Pass Ultimate membership can preview it by accessing Fortnite for free.

This appears to be the beginning of more devices, previously mostly connected to Samsung TVs, gaining access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, as Xbox says it is “in the process of rolling out a plan to bring cloud gaming services to more devices and for more people around the world.”