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- Requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and supported controller (both sold separately). Selected regions (xbox.com/regions) and devices (xbox.com/cloud-devices); streaming limits apply, server availability and wait times may vary. Requires high-speed internet connection (ISP fees apply). See cloud gaming catalogue (xbox.com/play).
www.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-game-pass/supported-devices
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Aug 19, 2022 · We understand that you wanted to get back to play Minecraft and is unable to because the game shows you own it however it also shows you need to repurchase or re-subscribe to Xbox Game Pass. Let us check on this together so you will get back to gaming.
Sep 20, 2017 · To help you on your journey, we offer a library of resources that cover the fundamentals of Minecraft: from how you craft or use a controller, to how you play with friends. Before You Begin Everything you need to know before you start playing Minecraft.
Jul 18, 2023 · With an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription you can play hundreds of games on console, PC, and cloud; the package also includes an Xbox Game Pass Core subscription, and access to...
- Overview
- What exactly is Xbox Cloud Gaming?
- Xbox Cloud Gaming: Phone and tablet requirements
- Xbox Cloud Gaming: Configuring your home internet
- Xbox Cloud Gaming: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription
- Xbox Cloud Gaming: Best phones, tablets, and accessories
- Is Xbox Cloud Gaming the future?
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How-to
How exactly do you get Xbox Cloud Gaming anyway?
Jump to:
•What is it?
•Device requirements
•Configure your internet
Xbox Cloud Gaming (known by its codename Project xCloud) is Microsoft's answer to a device-agnostic future. Rather than build native mobile games, Microsoft hopes that it can leverage its sizeable console presence to bring services to the phone and tablet market, streamed from Redmond's massive Azure server farms.
What this means is that instead of playing the game on your device, you're instead streaming it from the cloud. This has notable benefits and downsides and is far more complex than simply streaming a video feed as per YouTube or Netflix.
Put simplistically, Xbox Cloud Gaming sends your inputs up to their servers dotted all across the globe and streams the video game feed down from the internet. This means that you can play games that have much higher fidelity and complexity on servers powered by Xbox Series X hardware. It also means you can play games that traditionally aren't available on mobile devices, such as Gears of War, Halo, Flight Simulator, and others. Additionally, streaming may save your phone's battery life to some degree, since you're not relying on CPU-intensive native games.
The drawbacks are obvious, though. Many Xbox games aren't built to run on small displays and have tiny fonts and UI elements that are almost impossible to read without a magnifying glass on smaller phones. Xbox Cloud Gaming is also data-intensive, meaning that those with data caps may find their usage limits getting blown up relatively quickly. If you're data uncapped, you may find that your internet speed isn't good enough, or doesn't have a high enough frequency to play action-oriented games reliably. Unlike a native mobile game, you may find that poor 4G or 5G support prevents you from playing games while outside of the home, too.
Xbox Cloud Gaming has a range of technical and geographical requirements, alongside an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription which costs $15 per month, or $1 for new users on a month-long free trial. Here are the requirements you need to know for Xbox Cloud Gaming, as of writing.
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While you can play games using 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, 5GHz is recommended. The general rule of thumb with Wi-Fi frequencies is that 2.4GHz generally offers a better range, while 5GHz offers better speed. You may find you have the best results using 5GHz while sitting relatively close to your router, with minimal obstructions between yourself and the connection. If you're sitting several rooms away, 2.4GHz may offer a more consistent experience, but you may find it's too slow to play action-oriented games. Many of the best games on Xbox Cloud Gaming are turn-based, though, offering a good experience even on slower or less-than-ideal connections. I generally put smart devices on the 2.4GHz SSID. Devices that I plan to use more frequently or more intensively for streaming games or video, I put on the 5GHz SSID.
Typically, you can see if you're running 5GHz or 2.4GHz Wi-Fi by opening your device's connection settings. On Android, you can do this by long-pressing the Wi-Fi symbol from your notification center, and hitting the cogwheel to view advanced settings on your Wi-Fi connection. On Windows, you can find out by typing "Network Status" into the start menu, then by selecting "properties" on your Wi-Fi connection. As of writing, it doesn't seem as though iOS allows you to easily tell what band your Wi-Fi router is on, but you may be able to enable it in your router's settings manually.
There are many hundreds of routers and modems out there, but most modern ones allow you to separate your home Wi-Fi into two separate SSIDs. Generally, I split mine and name them with "2.4" or "5" to easily tell which network I'm connecting to. Some routers automatically assign you a frequency based on what it believes will be best performance, but sometimes that is to the detriment of Xbox Cloud Gaming. It's best if you split them up manually, generally. For details on how to do this, it's best to consult your router's manual or support forums. A quick Bing or Google search for "How to split 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi" with your router name should give you the best information, given the volume of router options out there.
Some older routers, phones, and tablets may not support 5GHz Wi-Fi, however, so it's worth looking up your device via your favorite search engine to double-check.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is required to run games from Xbox Cloud Gaming as of writing, and it starts at $15 dollars per month (or $1 for a month-long new user trial).
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate comes with a range of benefits that generally revolve around gamers who explore titles across multiple systems. I've written in the past about how there should be a cheaper Xbox Game Pass Lite that is solely for Xbox Cloud Gaming, but alas, we're not quite there yet. Users on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also get Xbox Game Pass for Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, Xbox Live Gold multiplayer for consoles, and also monthly perks that include DLC and in-game features for various games. Sometimes they even do trials of streaming services like Disney+ or Crunchyroll.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's full game list is truly enormous, with over 300 titles rotating in and out of the service. As for Xbox Cloud Gaming, the full list offers around 130 titles as of writing. Roughly a third of these games support touch inputs, but most will need a paired-up Xbox or PlayStation controller via Bluetooth to play. You can sign up for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate below.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to hundreds of games on a set monthly fee. Sign up with a connected Microsoft Account, and you can access a large library of content on Xbox consoles, PCs, and mobile phones via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Buy from: Xbox
Xbox Cloud Gaming can be experienced with your personal device as long as it meets the minimum specs, with a decent selection of games supporting touch controls right out of the box. If you plan on using it frequently, though, you may want to consider investing in other devices to elevate your experience.
The best Xbox Cloud Gaming tablets can give you far more screen real estate to play with, offsetting issues with tiny fonts that I often see in games designed for TVs rather than phones. If you want a device dedicated entirely to cloud gaming to save your battery life on your main phone, we have a few suggestions in our best phones for Xbox Cloud Gaming roundup too. Beyond that, here are some of our top picks and suggestions for best accessories for Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A
Check Amazon
Best 8-inch tablet
This has generally been my go-to tablet for Xbox Cloud Gaming. It's not too large at just 8 inches, and provides enough screen real estate for games with tiny fonts and fiddly controls. It's a bit too large to be mounted on most clips, but for touch-based games or when combined with a stand, it makes for a worthy portable monitor.
Xbox Game Pass is steadily growing, contributing to record revenues and profits for Microsoft's Xbox division. It's helping become a unique selling point of the Xbox console platform too, as Microsoft's battle for the console space intensifies with Nintendo and Sony.
As good as Xbox Game Pass is on consoles, the service has a long way to go on mobile. Solving the ergonomic and technical challenges is no small feat for Microsoft, which is essentially competing with native mobile experiences that are getting better and better every day. Arguably, Xbox Game Pass' cloud gaming has no "killer app" right now, but upcoming Xbox games like Starfield and Diablo IV may begin to change that.
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Nov 2, 2021 · As a PC player, getting Minecraft through Game Pass means that you will be able to cross-play with any other Minecrafter regardless of platform! All you have to do is choose which game to launch based on whom you want to play with.
Oct 16, 2021 · Quickly switch between the different editions from the unified Minecraft Launcher, faster than you could explain the rules to the fake lava floor game when you were a kid.
Feb 17, 2023 · Xbox Game Pass is an increasingly popular subscription service, giving you access to a massive collection of games and connected services for one monthly fee. Xbox Game Pass works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs as well as Xbox consoles like the Xbox Series X and Xbox One.
