Gaming is taking a pivotal turn right now thanks to game streaming services like Microsoft Project xCloud and Google Stadia. For long, desktop gaming was limited to pricey consoles and not many could afford it. However, with the latest advancements, you can now play games anywhere and on any device with a monthly subscription fee. At least, that is what the two tech giants– Google and Microsoft are saying. So in this article, we analyze their new game streaming platforms and see who wins the war between Microsoft Project xCloud vs Google Stadia. Now having said that, let’s go ahead and take a detailed look at both the services.
In this comparison, I have explained many aspects of both the platform, right from the basics to their hardware components. I have also discussed the feasibility of cloud gaming and whether it’s possible right now. That said, you can jump through the sections as you find it relevant. So without further ado, let’s begin.
Before moving forward, let’s first understand what is this new wave of cloud gaming and what both these giants offer. First of all, cloud gaming is not new and has been in the testing phase for over a decade. Due to the lack of faster silicon and cloud infrastructure, no company could afford to bring instant cloud gaming to the masses. However, Microsoft and Google are going to launch their game streaming service starting next month and it’s going to be an exciting face-off.
2. Platform Support
Since both the services claim they are platform-agnostic, let’s put them to test. Microsoft Project xCloud has entered the public beta and currently allows you to play games on Android smartphones. In addition, the device must have Bluetooth 4.0 and should be running Marshmallow or above. To understand how it works, say if you played a game on your Xbox One console at home then you can continue the same game on your Android smartphone from anywhere around the world. In fact, even if you don’t have a console at home, you can still subscribe to Microsoft Project xCloud and enjoy gaming on the go. However, keep in mind, Microsoft has not yet announced support for PC or tablets and that’s surprising. But we expect Microsoft to announce support in the near future. Google Stadia
Microsoft is using its Azure data center to power cloud gaming on hosts of devices. But, what exactly is powering such resource-intensive games on the internet? Well, it’s not using the traditional Azure servers, but deploying Xbox One S boards on the server rack. Microsoft Gaming VP said that “we have taken the core innards of an Xbox One S and figured out how can we transform that into something more suitable for the data center’”. It’s clear the performance will be on par with Xbox consoles that you have in your home and that is excellent, but how does it fare against Google Stadia? Google Stadia, Source: The Verge
As we observed from the specs above, the quality of streaming on both the services will certainly be great, but Google does have an upper hand because of its powerful GPU. Apart from that, Microsoft Project xCloud has not spilled the beans further on the internet speed requirement except that you need at least a 10Mbps connection to get started. Well, 10Mbps is quite good, but we can’t gauge how it will handle latency, graphic quality, and frame rates. However, The Verge reporter Tom Warren did test a few games on the xCloud platform so here is a snippet for you to decide. Remember, Project xCloud is still in beta.
A quick look at Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming preview pic.twitter.com/JhkOVg2leM
To conclude, since Microsoft has not announced the finer details, we won’t know how good or bad its streaming will be. However, Google has done an impressive job with latency and I feel they will top this segment as well. In this battle of Microsoft Project xCloud vs Google Stadia, it seems Google has really done its homework this time around.
Well, to play games on Microsoft Project xCloud, you will need a controller, but if you already have an Xbox controller then you don’t need to buy one separately. xCloud is designed to support almost all Xbox accessories. Other than that, you can play some supported Xbox games without a controller. There is also a separate mountable accessory which lets you attach your smartphone onto the controller. Sadly, you will still need a wire to plug your device.
When it comes to gaming titles, Microsoft is way above Google because of its dominance in the gaming industry for many years. You will get all the Xbox games on Project xCloud and that is excellent. Microsoft has also confirmed that you will not have to buy games separately if you already have them with your Xbox Pass. Also, your saved games will be moved to Project xCloud seamlessly so that you can continue playing games. Apart from that, Microsoft has released a list of paid games that will be available without any charge during the beta preview: Guns Ready, Intergalactic Shooter, Combo breaker and Sail the Seas. If you are wondering about third-party games on xCloud then Microsoft has made it clear that initially, it will focus only on in-house titles.
- Microsoft Project xCloud
Having talked about the features and hardware, let’s now talk about the pricing. So far, Microsoft has not divulged any details regarding pricing but has hinted that it will be in line with the industry standards. Apart from that, currently, Xbox Game Pass costs $9.99 per month and many experts have suggested that Microsoft will unify all the game subscription services under one umbrella and that will be Project xCloud. So, you can expect the xCloud subscription to cost within the ballpark of $10 a month.
Microsoft Project xCloud
Project xCloud has finally entered the public beta preview and you can test it right now. However, it’s not open to all and you must get an invitation to join the beta program. Currently, users from the US, UK, and South Korea can sign-up for the invitation link. If you are from any other region, there is no reason to get disappointed. Microsoft Gaming VP Kareem Chowdhury has committed to bring Project xCloud to Europe, Asia, and North America in May next year.
Google Stadia
Coming to Google Stadia’s pricing, things are a bit complicated. Earlier, it was touted as Netflix for video games where you just subscribe to a monthly plan and can play your heart out. However, after recent announcements, it has been made clear that you can only play a handful of games for free under the standard monthly plan. If you want to play more games, you will have to buy those separately. That is kind of a bummer, but Google has managed to bring some popular games under the free tier so there is that. Nevertheless, here is how the Stadia pricing looks.
In terms of availability, Google Stadia will launch on November 19th in the US, UK, Canada and 14 other regions including most of Europe.
