Microsoft plans to use smart TVs, Xbox game streaming devices

Author: Supantha Mukherjee

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Microsoft said on Thursday it is working with global TV makers to let gamers play Xbox games via internet-connected TVs without additional hardware beyond a controller.

Xbox is also building its own cloud game streaming devices to allow gamers to use any TV or monitor without having to use a console.

The company, which launched two models of its Xbox gaming consoles last year, is also focusing on expanding its cloud gaming service to attract casual gamers with the promise of breaking ties with the living room.

Game Pass, a $9.99-per-month subscription service that includes titles such as “Alien Isolation” and “Gears 5,” can be played on Xbox consoles, Android devices and PCs. It is seen as a weapon aimed at cutting into the dominance of Sony’s rival PlayStation platform.

“With Game Pass available on the browser, the value of subscriptions will shift from console to PC and mobile devices,” said CEO Satya Nadella in a pre-recorded video.

“I look forward to how we continue to invest in Game Pass, add more content and make the service available in even more regions,” he said.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud gaming, available in dozens of countries, will be available in Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Japan later this year.

Xbox, which is exploring new Game Pass subscription offers, is also partnering with telecommunications companies to allow consumers to buy both the console and Game Pass for a low monthly price, rather than spending money upfront.

A report by gaming analytics firm Newzoo found that gaming has gained in popularity since the start of the pandemic, as more than half of gamers in North America and Western Europe spent more time gaming.

Xbox plans to release at least one new first-party game on Game Pass every quarter, as more than 23 studios around the world create games for the platform.

“We will unlock the ability for everyone in the world to enjoy games that relatively few have previously had access to,” said Phil Spencer, head of Xbox.

(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee, European technology and telecommunications correspondent based in Stockholm; Editing by Bernadette Baum)