Forget Google Stadia: Leaked Xbox Game Pass Upgrades Shame

It looks like Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels with Project xCloud – the streaming technology that allows Xbox Game Pass subscribers to play select titles remotely.

First, Windows Central has heard from “trusted sources” that improvements to Xbox cloud streaming servers are showing solid results, with the resolution increasing from 720p to 1080p. Here’s a screencap sent with the developer’s overlay showing all the relevant stats.

Your quality, of course, may vary. Just like Netflix can get a little sluggish if your internet connection suddenly slows down, xCloud can lower your resolution if that improves performance. This is what Windows Central found when they tried the same test and were locked into a more disappointing 720p, feeling they were just too far away from a data center running the 1080p test.

The move to 1080p brings Microsoft’s offering into line with Google Stadia’s free tier – although that service faces its own very public startup issues with the shutdown of its two proprietary game studios and a limited number of triple titles – Currently on the calendar.