Microsoft have officially announced the xCloud launch. The Google Stadia rival game streaming service goes live in September.
As part of a big update on the future of gaming, Microsoft gave further details on the Xbox Series X and xCloud. In September, the xCloud service will go live for current Game Pass Ultimate subscribers ($15 per month) and give them access to over 100 Game Pass titles across devices.
Google Stadia has had criticism for its lack of games but that has been changing and bigger names and titles are on their way soon. The other major complaint from Stadia users is the lack of players online. This will not be a problem for xCloud gamers as the games run on Xbox servers just like the hardware consoles so there are millions of players worldwide to game against.
Could xCloud launch kill off Stadia?
Google Stadia may be have shown that console-free gaming is (could be?) the future but it feels like if Microsoft get this right then Google will struggle to persuade those gamers to switch over.
Over to you, Sony.
Source: Microsoft
In my opinion the question isn’t, will Xcloud (et al) ‘destroy’ Stadia, any more than it should be ‘will Amazon/HBO/Hulu/Cable/et al destroy Netflix’. There are pros and cons for each service.
Google have been very careful to curate their library, experience and feature set to appeal to time poor casual gamers who want a friction-free experience. Think Apple rather than Microsoft. Further, they have NEVER promoted Stadia as a replacement for any existing game service – cloud or otherwise, rather they have promoted it as a complementary service – and for the next few years while hardware gradually fades away in favour of cloud, that will continue to be their approach. I could write about how Google’s data centres are better positioned for global gaming rollout, than any other provider, or that their service is 4K/60fps/HDR/5.1 vs Xcloud and PS Now at 720p, or that their lag is imperceptible vs notable lag in Xcloud and PSN (with no metrics on use beyond mobile for XCloud as yet), but there’s no point; that is of zero interest to casual gamers who simply want the simplest and most effective solution.
So, no I don’t think Xcloud will ‘kill’ Stadia, in fact a rising tide lifts all ships (think Tesla giving away it’s patents to stoke up the overall market and how they are now the most successful car manufacturer in the world). Stadia’s market has no idea what an Xcloud is, doesn’t own a console and has probably clocked up more time in Candy Crush than Call of Duty. Assess on that basis and you are far closer to the answer to your question.