Microsoft to allow Xbox Cloud Gaming users to bring their own games later this year
On June 9, Microsoft announced a number of Xbox Cloud Gaming features that are in the pipeline under the "What's Next for Gaming 2022" umbrella.
As part of today's announcements, Microsoft will "soon" add more gaming integrations into its Edge browser. Microsoft will add a Gaming New Tab page, which will be a personalized gaming home page with news, game guides, live streams, game highlights, tournaments, and upcoming and newly released games. The page also will provide users with quick access to their recently played games and content. It also is adding a Games menu to give users quick access to free games like Microsoft Solitaire, Atari Asteroids, Microsoft Jewel and more. (I'm hoping and assuming these features will be easy to turn off, myself, as I like my browser clutter-free.)
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Also on the list of today's Microsoft gaming announcements:
- Later this year, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users will be able to play from the cloud select games they already own or have bought outside of the Xbox Game Pass library
- Microsoft and Samsung, starting June 30, will bring the Xbox App to Samsung 2022 Smart TVs so users can play cloud-enabled games in the Game Pass Ultimate library on Smart TVs without a console
- Microsoft is adding Argentina and New Zealand to its list of regions supported by Xbox Cloud Gaming as of June 9
- Microsoft will add curated demos of upcoming games for Xbox Game Pass members to aid with game discovery as part of "Project Moorcroft" some time "within the next year."
- Microsoft is bringing back Xbox Design Lab to allow people to optimize their colors and Camo Top cases with matching side caps. (I have no idea what any of this is, but I'm assuming gamers will.)
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Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming service is built on top of Azure. Gaming is the main place where Microsoft has made inroads with consumers and thus is a top priority for the mostly enterprise-focused company.