Microsoft will make xCloud available to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers from tomorrow

Microsoft will open up its game streaming service, xCloud, to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers over a month ahead of its planned September 15th launch. Subscribers will be able to start streaming the service's games via the Android Xbox Game Pass app starting tomorrow.

In a statement to The Verge, a Microsoft spokesperson said, "As we approach the launch of cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on September 15, we're entering a limited beta period to ensure a smooth transition of the cloud gaming experience to the Xbox Game Pass app on Android."

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

"Existing Xbox Game Pass (Beta) app users will get the opportunity to test a subset of the available titles as we ready the experience for broader availability next month. This limited beta is critical to providing the best possible experience for members at launch and should not be considered indicative of the final experience or library."

The Verge also notes that the version of the app available tomorrow will only offer around 30 of the service's 100+ streamable games. The rest will become playable on September 15th.

In order to try xCloud tomorrow, you'll of course need to have an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. One of those will set you back $14.99 a month.

I've been playing xCloud for the last week and have been mostly impressed by its reliability and the quality of the games on offer. I don't have the most incredible connection in the world, but most of the service's games – which include the likes of Gears 5, Sea of Thieves, Hellblade, and Halo 5 – are very playable, even if the visual quality of, for example, Gears 5 is significantly diminished.

While all of this is very exciting for Android owners, those planning to try xCloud on iOS were no doubt disappointed to hear that Microsoft has shelved that version for now. 

Here is a link to the Android Xbox Game Pass app.