Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members have unlocked a game-changing perk: the ability to stream games directly to their Xbox consoles without the need for downloads. This exciting update was announced in an Xbox Wire news post, revealing that members can now stream titles from the Game Pass catalog and "select games they own" on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One consoles through cloud streaming.
Previously, this cloud streaming feature was available on smart TVs, PCs, smartphones, and Meta Quest headsets, but this marks its debut on consoles. This advancement is a boon for gamers, saving both time and valuable hard drive space by eliminating the need for lengthy downloads.
To dive into this feature, Xbox provides simple instructions: Navigate to My games & apps > Full library > Owned Games. Games that support cloud streaming will be marked with a cloud badge. To streamline your search, use the filters by selecting Filter > Ready to play > Cloud gaming. Once you've found your game, select it and choose Play with Cloud Gaming. Additionally, you can start streaming directly from the Store app after purchasing select cloud-playable games.
For those interested in playing installed games on other devices, Xbox allows streaming to devices with supported web browsers via a provided link. Note that this feature is no longer supported on the Xbox mobile app but remains accessible on smartphones through the browser link. Xbox is also expanding this feature to Samsung and Amazon Fire smart TVs, and Meta Quest headsets.
In another significant development, Xbox announced that starting this month, Xbox and Xbox 360 backward compatible games will also support remote play.
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Xbox's latest move is part of a broader strategy to optimize storage space on their consoles. The Xbox Wire post highlights a new feature in the console's settings that suggests ways to free up hard drive space, accessible via My Games & Apps > Manage.
This initiative comes as a response to the increasing size of game installs, with titles like Call of Duty and Baldur's Gate 3 setting new benchmarks for storage demands. Xbox has been actively exploring ways to expand storage solutions, and for those still in need of more space, we've covered some of the best storage options for the Xbox Series X and S. These options are especially handy if you're not ready to invest in the newer Xbox models that come with enhanced built-in storage.