Microsoft has launched a new Xbox app for Android that allows all users to stream game to their phone, using their Xbox One console as a server.
The new Xbox Remote Gaming feature, which looks like the one Sony has long offered, makes it easy for Xbox owners to play their games on their phones, for example, if the living room TV is busy.
Until now, the feature was only available to Xbox Insider beta members, but Microsoft has extended functionality to everyone on an Android phone. The privilege will also be extended to owners of Xbox Series X and Series S when these machines become available.
If you are feeling a little confused here, we don’t blame you. This option is different from the Microsoft xCloud portion of the Game Pass Ultimate offering, which officially launched on Android last week. xCloud, as the name suggests, streams games directly from the cloud without the need for a console as a conduit. In this case, xCloud does not require ownership of the games either.
The new feature, previously known in beta as Console Streaming, doesn’t require a Game Pass subscription (but is aided by one) and provides access to the owner’s entire library through a connection to their console. .
In a blog post posted Monday, Microsoft added, “If you love to play games, the new Xbox (Beta) app is more useful than ever. We’re replacing console streaming (preview) with Xbox remote play in the new Xbox app (beta). We have removed the requirement to be an Xbox Insider, so starting today, all Xbox gamers can play games downloaded to their consoles directly to their phones or tablets. With Xbox Remote Play, you can sign in to your console and have access to Xbox One games already downloaded to your console, including Xbox Game Pass titles.
Elsewhere, the new Android app adopts the new Xbox Series S / X interface and introduces new ways to share games (see video below). It also brings Xbox Party and Chat functionality on the go.
