Microsoft Sees Every Screen Like Xbox. How Did That Happen?

The problem isn’t bandwidth though, it’s latency. Video games are built on instant feedback. Some games can defy the definition of “fast” a bit, but anything more than half a second of lag between input and action will be unplayable even in the most forgiving games.

This is the problem I faced while trying Xbox Cloud Gaming on Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max. On paper, this is one of the most accessible ways to get into Xbox games. With this $60 streaming stick and Bluetooth Xbox controller, you can stream games from the cloud to any device with an HDMI input.

Actually, the installation lag was a problem. I tried to play Starfield on Fire TV, and I was able to act just fine, but as soon as the battle started, I felt like I was learning to control a marionette in real time. Under the guns. I briefly flick my control stick towards it for a moment, let go, watch the stick return to its default position, and then my character would shake. That’s not a good way to dodge bullets. It worked best for casual games like this Donut Countybut even then it felt like calling email to a slow typist.

Bluetooth is great for basic things like streaming music, but when you need to sync visuals and audio inputs, the cracks start to show. Add that to the inherent delays that come from installing a remote server somewhere in the world, and it can sound pretty bad. Even if you play locally, console manufacturers use proprietary wireless protocols or add custom enhancements over Bluetooth to deal with the latency issue.

Another fix is ​​to use a controller that bypasses Bluetooth and connects directly to Wi-Fi. This is something that Google’s Stadia tried—and it’s possible that Microsoft is working on it too—which removes one link from the chain. Right now, my Xbox controller connects via Bluetooth to my Fire TV Stick, which then transmits that signal to my Wi-Fi router, each step adding precious milliseconds.

A Wi-Fi controller can help reduce that. But until Wi-Fi—or other low-latency controls—become common, cloud streaming will remain difficult. It may be difficult even with such a device, given that internet speeds vary greatly from region to region. This means that there will probably still be a need for a gaming console in the area. But does it have to be Xbox?

Windows Factor

Microsoft may own Windows, but Valve has dominated the PC gaming landscape for over a decade. Valve uses the Steam game storefront, and while its dominance is slow (a lot (slightly) erodes, it’s almost a guarantee that you have a Steam library of hundreds of games if you’re playing on a desktop or laptop.

There’s little reason for PC gamers to buy games through the Xbox Store instead of Steam (or Epic or GOG), but Xbox Game Pass changes that equation. For $10 to $20 a month, players can get access to a huge library of games. It’s a compelling deal that has brought in over 34 million subscribers, possibly more than the total number of Xbox Series X/S units sold.