xCloud, Microsoft's cloud gaming service, looks to be rolling out Xbox Series X upgrades on some of its titles.
The enhancement was noticed by The Verge senior editor Tom Warren, who noticed that several games were benefiting by improved performance and options only available on the Xbox Series X hardware. In a tweet, Warren showed off the improvements, which showcased vastly improved load times as well as 120 FPS options for the games.
it looks like xCloud just got the Xbox Series X hardware upgrade for certain games. Yakuza, Rainbow Six Siege, and others are showing 120fps or gfx options, and are loading faster pic.twitter.com/BUU866V0BFJune 22, 2021
DIRT 5, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, and Rainbow Six Siege all seem to be benefiting from improved versions. However, The Verge notes it does not seem to be universal across all titles. Forza Horizon 4 doesn't seem to have benefitted yet, for instance.
Recently, Microsoft acknowledged an upgrade to Xbox Series X hardware for the service would start rolling out soon. It looks like it has started to quietly and slowly apply the enhancement without announcing the rollout, though due to its sporadic title updates, perhaps that makes sense.
Project xCloud is still in its beta form, so it makes sense Microsoft would skip a universal rollout with a big announcement. It also means if you would like the try the feature but don't have access to it yet, you probably won't be able to.
The current beta program has closed its doors to new users and is only useable by those invited to try the service and stress test it. However, if the tech excites you, worry not. The full version is set to release to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users in September. Hopefully, by then this Xbox hardware update will be accessible by all.
xCloud is certainly a compelling idea. The Cloud-based gaming set-up will let players take their Game Pass with them, no matter if it is on a phone or a laptop. What's more, it offers an alternative to players who haven't yet gotten their hands on new Xbox Series X hardware. Players will be able to take advantage of the improved performance and features, as well as next-gen exclusive games, without a new console.
The service is even rolling out onto the Xbox One meaning that, as long as your internet connection is good enough, you can theoretically transform your Xbox One into an Xbox Series X. Starting September 15 though, players will have access to the service through Android phones and tablets.
If you're interested in the new console, here's our guide to Xbox Series X stock.
