Last year, Microsoft revealed they would be working with TV manufacturers to bring Xbox cloud gaming to TVs without the need for players to own an Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One console. Today they announced the first steps in this approach as they will be releasing the Xbox Cloud Gaming app for Samsung Smart TVs at the end of this month.
When will Xbox Cloud Gaming be released for Samsung TVs?
The Xbox app will be released on all 2022 Samsung Smart TVs across 27 countries on June 30. The app will give access to hundreds of cloud-enabled games already included in Xbox Game Pass without needing to own a console, although you will need a Microsoft account, an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, and a Bluetooth-enabled controller such as the Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Adaptive Controller, Elite Series 2 Controller, or the DualSense controller. The app is promised to work “seamlessly” just like any Tv and movie streaming app does right now.
While the Xbox app will only be available on Samsung TVs at first, Microsoft intends to “explore other TV partnerships as part of this next evolution in our vision.” For now, those 27 regions will also include a couple of new countries: Xbox Cloud Gaming will be rolled out to Argentina and New Zealand today, June 9. As is possible in all countries that have cloud gaming, the service is available on iOS devices, Android phones and tablets, Windows PCs, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One as well as the upcoming Samsung TV partnership.
In other news, Microsoft has announced an Xbox Game Pass demos program called Project Moorcroft that will bring trials of upcoming games to consoles sometime next year. Elsewhere, the first Forza Horizon 5 DLC expansion has been leaked ahead of its announcement and it will seemingly take players into the world of Hot Wheels once again.