Attention users who have given up on looking for GPUs for their gaming PCs. Our tests with Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming for the web weren't too bad.


A limited beta version of Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming launches this week. The target platforms are the web, Apple iPhones and iPads (Xbox cloud access to iPhones and iPads is limited due to strict Apple App Store control policies). In either case, Windows PCs and Macs can now access Xbox games located on Microsoft's cloud via the web.

The advantages of Xbox Cloud Gaming are twofold. First, you don't need an Xbox console. Currently, the new Xbox Series S or X PC is difficult or impossible to find. Second, there is no need to download and install the game, which saves time. You can also save money if the Internet service you use has bandwidth or data limitations.
 
Until now, there were only two ways to use Xbox Cloud games. Android (tablet or smartphone) and Chromebook. The latter provided a PC-like environment and experience. You can use a keyboard and connect a wired or wireless Xbox controller. But now you can visit the Xbox Cloud Gaming site, log in, and play the game. However, to do so, they need to apply for a beta invitation before the site for general users officially opens later this year. It also requires a subscription to Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate plan.
 

Real gaming performance on the web

Microsoft Cloud Gaming is different from other remote play services. Because it's like playing an Xbox (known as the Xbox Series S) remotely from Microsoft's cloud. That's important, given that Microsoft is offering a Game Pass subscription service for PCs. The difference is that Xbox Cloud Gaming provides gaming services for the Xbox that run in the cloud. Microsoft does not yet provide a remote server-based PC game remote service. It's easier to browse and play games on a much larger PC monitor or laptop computer display. This is because game fonts are often small enough to be enjoyed on a smartphone.
 
Microsoft recommended using Surface hardware to play the Xbox Cloud Gaming beta, but you don't have to. It also worked very well on an HP Envy 14 laptop with a discrete GPU. Since everything runs in the cloud, there is no need for a separate GPU. I tried to run the game by connecting an old Xbox One controller via Bluetooth.

Microsoft launches the Xbox Cloud environment from the game menu. And it mentions that many games support touch (but it didn't work well on touch-enabled laptops). When you select a game, the run screen is displayed during preparation time. There are other cases where you need to click the mouse, and there are cases where you need to use a controller, and you will understand when you play the game yourself. On my PC and broadband environment (200mb 2 downstream on school distance education days), it took about 5-7 seconds to prepare the cloud game.
 
The first game I played was a light type. Desperados III is a third-person puzzle game in which you move characters on the battlefield and perform various maneuvers. The frame rate is not important as it is usually an action to wait and plan. But don't plan too long. That's because Xbox Cloud Gaming disconnects the game after a minute or two of inactivity.

Like most games, Desperados has very limited visual options. Guessing, I think it was streamed in 720p resolution. However, I was able to read the text perfectly, and it worked just fine when I moved the window between the 4K external display and the laptop computer screen. There was some input lag as expected, but there were no issues with gameplay. The only complaint about the game is the long loading times. 

My second choice was Dead Cells, a sprite-based 2D side-scroller game that requires quick reflections and button combinations. The input lag was noticeable, but the input lag also helped in the sense that the cloud game could be blamed when the character died.
 
However, for some games the timing makes a huge difference. So it might be a good idea to lower the difficulty or consider other options. A good example is the popular baseball game 'MLB; The Show 21 (MLB: The Show 21). The Show is a game where timing is very important in addition to catching a fast-flying virtual fastball. When playing games on the Xbox console, the bats tended to go out first. However, due to cloud gaming, there was a delay, so the swing was recognized late. It was too inconvenient to take into account the input delay every swing.
 
Driving games like Forza Horizon 4 are different. When playing Forza on a Chromebook, there was an input lag during understeering and the rotation was slow. But over time, I got used to it and I was able to play as competitively as on a regular Xbox.
 
The real question is how well cloud gaming will perform in graphics-intensive first-person shooters. It's still a bit difficult to say. This is because not all games on the game pass have been ported to the cloud. An example would be a game like Battlefield.

There are also first-person shooter games you can play. An example is 'Wolfenstein: The New Order'. Delays can sometimes be problematic, but I was able to play more strategically. I was able to play at 1080p resolution and below, and the frame rate was poor. However, it should be noted that it is still in early beta. The experience can be improved.
 
Surprisingly, a battle royale game, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, has also been added to the library. I hadn't played PUBG in years, so I expected it to die soon, and even more so when I saw the announcement that the cross-platform queue had put someone playing on PC with me. Fortunately, a few other players were less skilled than me, so I was able to survive longer than I expected.

PUBG is not a very pretty game, and the graphics are still not great. The frame rate wasn't particularly low, but the game textures were simplistic and poor quality. But it's not uncommon in PUBG.

As it is a beta version, there is room for improvement.

Personally, I don't like wasting time and data downloading big, heavy games that will eventually be deleted. I think Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming is an opportunity to try out games that are not fast paced and have a lot of story. In the end, we'll see if we can download to the environment in terms of local graphics enhancements or responsiveness. But there is definitely potential. What's more, it's even more valuable in the current environment where it's difficult to play Microsoft's Game Pass on the Xbox Series X.