Here’s a first look at Microsoft’s xCloud for the Internet

Microsoft has started testing its xCloud game streaming via a web browser. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s Xbox plans tell The edge that employees are now testing a web version of xCloud before a public preview. The service gives Xbox players access to their games via a browser and opens xCloud to work on devices like iPhones and iPads.

Just like how xCloud currently works on Android tablets and phones, the web version includes a simple launcher with game recommendations, the ability to resume recently played titles, and access to all the cloud games available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. After launching a game, it will appear in full screen and you will need a controller to play Xbox games streamed through the browser.

It’s not immediately clear at what resolution Microsoft games stream via this web version. The software maker uses Xbox One S server blades for its existing xCloud infrastructure, so full 4K streaming will not be supported until the backend hardware is upgraded to Xbox Series X components this year.

Microsoft also plans to merge this web version of xCloud into Windows 10 into the PC version of the Xbox app. The web version currently appears to be limited to Chromium browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, much like Google’s Stadia service. Microsoft is planning some form of public preview of xCloud via the Internet in the spring, and this broader internal test indicates that the preview is getting very close.

The big drive behind this web version is support for iOS and iPadOS hardware. Apple imposes restrictions on iOS apps and cloud services, and Microsoft was unable to support the iPhone and iPad when they launched xCloud in beta for Android last year. Apple has said that Microsoft should submit individual games for review, a process that is a “bad customer experience” for Microsoft.