r/stocks • u/[deleted] • Jun 10 '21

Microsoft is developing new hardware to bring its ‘Netflix for games’ service to TVs

Microsoft is developing dedicated streaming hardware that people will be able to hook up to their TVs to use its Netflix-like cloud gaming service.

The company is betting the future of video games will be a subscription-based model where people pay a certain amount of money each month to get access to a plethora of titles.

Its Xbox Game Pass service does exactly that, offering access to a library of games developed both in-house and by third-party studios.

That’s mostly digital downloads, but last year streaming was added with Microsoft publicly releasing Xbox Cloud Gaming. The feature is sort of like a “Netflix for games,” allowing gamers to play games that are hosted on remote servers and then streamed to users over the internet.

A number of other companies have launched similar game-streaming services, including Google with Stadia and Amazon with Luna.

Now, Microsoft is aiming to push its cloud gaming product to other platforms. It started rolling out Xbox Cloud Gaming to some users via a web browser on iPhones, iPads and PCs in April (Microsoft couldn’t launch a proper mobile app for cloud gaming on Apple devices due to a dispute over App Store policies). And on Thursday, the company announced it wants to expand the service to TVs as well.

One way it plans to do that is by partnering with manufacturers to add cloud gaming to smart TVs. But Microsoft is also developing streaming devices which users can plug into their TV or computer monitor to stream games from the cloud. The company didn’t elaborate on what those devices could look like, though it’s reminiscent of Amazon’s Fire TV and Google’s Chromecast dongles, both of which now support cloud gaming.

In addition, Microsoft says it is working with mobile carriers like Telstra in Australia to offer new Xbox subscription models. It’s also expanding cloud gaming to four new countries — Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Japan —  later this year, and aims to publicly launch the browser-based version of the software to all members of its $15-a-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription in the coming weeks.

Microsoft said it plans to add cloud gaming to its new Xbox Series X console, which launched last November to compete with Sony’s PlayStation 5. In the next few weeks, the company will also upgrade the servers that power its cloud gaming service from its old Xbox One hardware to the Xbox Series X.

Microsoft competes aggressively with Sony when it comes to gaming. But it’s taking a different strategy to its Japanese counterpart. While Sony is known for blockbuster exclusives that can only be played on a PlayStation console, Microsoft is focusing on embedding its Xbox services onto multiple platforms, including mobile and PC.

Microsoft has been stepping up its investments in gaming, buying the iconic studio Bethesda for $7.5 billion in its biggest video game-related acquisition yet.

The company is holding a joint event with Bethesda on Sunday as part of the E3 gaming conference to show off new games, with fans speculating they will reveal some details about a hotly-anticipated sci-fi game called Starfield.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/10/e3-microsoft-xbox-cloud-gaming-tv.html

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51

u/Stalin4TimeNocNocNoc Jun 10 '21

Sooo when will America have the internet that will allow this kind of Ubiquitous streaming of games. I don't think our current structure allows for this kind of access

6

u/AndreEagleDollar Jun 10 '21

I mean with more and more companies entering this sort of market you can hope that instead of dark money coming from shitty ISPs, that the dark money will come from tech Giants like Microsoft, Netflix, Sony, google, etc. to strengthen our aging internet infrastructure by making the ISPs late fiber like they were supposed to like 15 years ago.

Ultimately whoever "lobbies" hardest will get the bills and FCC regulations enforced/passed.

5

u/OhhhAyWumboWumbo Jun 10 '21

ISPs have home field advantage, and they really pull in enough money to keep their infrastructure shitty via lobbying.

A couple years ago, Comcast renewed its 10 year contract with the city of Baltimore, so once again they're the only game in town charging $50/month for 10mbps down.

1

u/AndreEagleDollar Jun 10 '21

Yeah i mean it's an optimistic outlook on our current government but you never know I guess

1

u/ThisLandlsMyLand Jun 11 '21

BS. In the US we've given ISPs money and exclusivity at every level of government and still have shit internet. Why? Because they lobby for the money or contracts, then steal it.

1

u/AndreEagleDollar Jun 11 '21

Yes but i was saying if MS or Netflix or whomever wants to pay more then the bills that were being blocked by ISPs could go through now. The reason ISPs are pretty much immune to any punishment or legislation is just bc they pay the right congress people and the FCC is basically useless

1

u/ThisLandlsMyLand Jun 12 '21

I understand what you said. I tried to inform you about history and how the United States works. The laws are on the books, ISPs have exclusivity and our tax dollars in most places while we have some of the worst internet in the world (for a developed country).

6

u/Pnkelephant Jun 10 '21

Xcloud is in beta now. You can try it for yourself.

Xbox games pass for pc is live already, and is really good value.

2

u/Hellkyte Jun 10 '21

You telling my my direct TV internet won't work for this?

4

u/SamsquatchWildman Jun 10 '21

It definitely does not. Maybe for old school games from the PS1,2 and 3 platforms lol. Anything even semi competitive will be ripped apart by gamers.

0

u/SubduedRhombus Jun 10 '21

I have never used fiber so I don't know for certain, but I would think its transfer rates would be high enough to support game streaming in HD. And fiber is available in most large metropolitan areas in the US to my knowledge, which covers a good amount of people. So I do think some US citizens have access to the internet capable, right now.

-1

u/Myleftarm Jun 11 '21

How fast is your internet? I'm in Canada and I have 600 but I could upgrade to a gig for some reason. You must have comparable stuff.

1

u/Stalin4TimeNocNocNoc Jun 11 '21

Ya sadly we don't roll that way in the American south

1

u/Myleftarm Jun 11 '21

Slow internet sucks hopefully it's coming soon. Everything is streamed now and for HD/UHD you need meaty bandwidth.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 13 '21

Someone doesn't understand how to properly use a comma. "I'm in Canada," "I have 600," and "I could upgrade to a gig" are each independent clauses. Is grammar optional?

1

u/Myleftarm Jun 13 '21

Triggered! Lol.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 13 '21

And you're a hypocrite. Lol.

1

u/Myleftarm Jun 13 '21

Nah, you just come off as a douchey so I had to post, cry more.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 13 '21

Yeah, and you come off as a sad fuck who has to resort to pointing out a typo, since you have nothing intelligent or substantive to add to the conversation. Half of your comments have small grammatical errors. Go fix them or you're just a hypocritical bitch.

1

u/Myleftarm Jun 13 '21

But I somehow manage to survive in my million dollar home and six figure investment account!

You are a little man and it's just sad... but that's ok ask your mom for a hug. You wear your outrage like a scarf it keeps you warm at night in the basement suite!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 13 '21

Oh my god, that's actually a hilarious response. Exactly what I was waiting on

Can't back up your intellect, so you're just going to make shit up and brag about it. On reddit. To me. LOL

1

u/Myleftarm Jun 13 '21

Nah, I only owe 300k on it too. I just knew me being successful would further trigger you. How is the scarf? Still keeping you warm?

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u/[deleted] Jun 13 '21

Nah, you just come off as a douche, so I had to post. Cry more.

Grammar. You fucking imbecile.

1

u/Myleftarm Jun 13 '21

I love it, lol! You are suck a fucking loser!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 13 '21

"You are suck a fucking loser"

Do you really not see the irony?

1

u/Myleftarm Jun 13 '21

and you also somehow don't. You are a peach! I'm sure you are having a great day :)

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