Xbox Lays Out Gaming Platform Plans for the Next 20 Years
In an Xbox Wire post Microsoft explains how the Xbox brand will continue to evolve with exciting developments.
Ahead of Geoff Keighley's Summer Fest extravaganza today, Xbox's Will Tuttle laid out the broad strokes future for the platform in an Xbox Wire post. It's an exciting time for Microsoft's gaming division as they seem to be firing on all cylinders ahead of this weekend's Xbox Bethesda showcase. Here's a look at all the major announcements:
The Xbox app coming to Samsung 2022 Smart TVs
Expanding Xbox Cloud Gaming to more countries
Bringing new gaming experiences to Microsoft Edge and Windows 11
Rolling out updates for Xbox Game Pass members
Introducing more options to express yourself with Xbox Design Lab
As Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer sees it, “We’re building a platform that can reach billions of players—whether it’s on console, whether it’s on PC, whether it’s through Xbox cloud streaming – where players on any device they want to play on should be able to find the content they want to play.”
The Xbox app on Samsung TVs in 2022
Xbox Game Pass will be made available via starting on June 30 via compatible Samsung Smart TVs. You can the Xbox app from the Samsung Gaming Hub or Media Hub and log into your existing Microsoft account, connect your favourite Bluetooth controller. Tuttle describes the experience as, "a seamless experience – it will be similar to using any other streaming app on your TV."
Expanding Xbox Cloud Gaming to more countries
Gamers in Argentina and New Zealand can now access Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. In addition, Fortnite with Xbox Cloud Gaming will be free in these regions and without any membership required.
New Gaming Experiences on Microsoft Edge and Windows 11
Many upgrades are coming on the PC side of Microsoft gaming: A new HDR calibration app, controller bar and optimizations for windowed games. These improvements all look to make getting you into the simple, fast and reliable.
Microsoft Edge gets Xbox Cloud Gaming integrations
Microsoft is also working on integrating Xbox Cloud Gaming into Microsoft Edge. The goal is to let you play your games "wherever you are." No word on a specific release date, but it's in testing now and coming soon and they will include: A new personalized gaming home page, built-in Clarity Boost for streaming games, a new "Games menu" and efficiency mode to optimize gaming.
Get More From Xbox Game Pass
Later this year, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members will be able to play some games they already own or have purchased outside the Xbox Game Pass library.
Along with this Microsoft has announced "Project Moorcroft," an upcoming program that Xbox Game Pass members can discover and enjoy playing new, curated demos of upcoming games.
The initiative is being expanded to include more developers and publishers, both local and worldwide. Within the next year, it will begin expanding, with a concentration on increasing global independent game development interest.
More Design Options Coming to Xbox Design Lab
If you are new to "Xbox Design Lab" the program lets you choose colours and different design accents for your Xbox controller. There are a lot of different combinations you can use to make your controller unique, almost like making your own "gaming fingerprint." Today, the program expanded the design options further adding a range of customization options and new colours:
This includes new pastel colors – Soft Pink, Soft Orange, Soft Green, and Soft Purple. As well as new Camo Top cases with matching side caps – Mineral Camo, Arctic Camo, Forest Camo, Sandglow Camo and Blaze Camo.
The program is expanding to 11 new countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland and Taiwan is being added later this summer.
It's pretty exciting to see the direction the Xbox brand is taking, moving more and more into a streaming "game everywhere" platform and leaning less into hardware. Microsoft must have plenty of announcements up its sleeve for both Summer Game Fest today, and their dedicated "Xbox Bethesda" showcase on Sunday. Usually announcements like the ones above, have traditionally seen "stage time" at major presentations like E3 in the past, especially more design options coming to the Xbox Design Lab.
What do you think of Xbox's 20 year plan? Let me know in the comments below!