The article discusses the upcoming upgrades to Xbox Cloud Gaming, highlighting its current shortcomings compared to competitors like Nvidia's GeForce Now. Key improvements include a new 1440p mode, offering higher resolution and bitrates, and new "HQ" modes for 720p and 1080p. Despite these upgrades, the service still faces challenges in stream quality and latency.
A significant portion of the article compares Xbox Cloud Gaming to GeForce Now, emphasizing GeForce Now's superior stream quality, latency, and frame rates (offering up to 360fps at 1080p, versus Xbox Cloud Gaming's 60fps limit).
The article explores Microsoft's broader strategy for Xbox Cloud Gaming, mentioning its expansion to various devices (Amazon Fire TV, Samsung and LG TVs, Meta Quest 3, and even cars), as well as efforts to make the service more accessible through Game Pass Core and Standard subscriptions.
The author suggests that a major leap in quality for Xbox Cloud Gaming will likely depend on Microsoft migrating to PC hardware within its data centers, similar to the upgrade to Series X hardware in 2021. The article concludes by stating that Microsoft needs to take the competition from GeForce Now more seriously to deliver a truly competitive cloud gaming experience.