In the world of gaming, Xbox Cloud Gaming (formerly known as Xbox Game Streaming) has taken a big step in 2025. Microsoft has made cloud gaming even more accessible, flexible, and powerful for gamers in its new update. These changes are not limited to Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, but also improve the gaming experience on devices like PC, mobile, and smart TV. But the question is, how beneficial are these updates for common gamers? Let’s understand in detail.
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Now you can also stream purchased games
Earlier Xbox Cloud Gaming was limited to Xbox Game Pass games only, but after the 2025 update, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now also stream their purchased games on the cloud. That is, if you have purchased games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance II or Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered, then you can play them directly on the cloud without installing them.
The biggest benefit of this will be to those gamers who have a console like Xbox Series S, which has less storage space (512GB). Now they can play big games on the cloud without emptying the SSD. A friend of mine told that he streamed Starfield on the cloud instead of installing it, which saved more than 100GB of storage on his console.
Old Xbox and Xbox 360 games are also now on the cloud
Microsoft has further improved its backward compatibility program and has now made some selected Original Xbox and Xbox 360 games available for cloud streaming. This means that now you can play classic games like Halo 2 or Fable on your phone, tablet or even a low-spec PC.
The biggest benefit of this will be for those gamers who want to play old games due to nostalgia, but they do not have an old console or disc. A friend of mine streamed Gears of War 2 on his Android phone and his experience was quite smooth. However, he also told that if the internet speed is less than 20Mbps, then there may be a problem of latency.
Better streaming quality and reduced latency
Microsoft has upgraded its cloud gaming infrastructure to use Xbox Series X server blades, which has improved streaming quality even further. Games now run at 1080p resolution and 60 FPS, and 4K testing is also underway in some regions.
This means that if you have high-speed internet (at least 15-20Mbps), even graphically intensive games like DOOM: The Dark Ages or Avowed can be played without lag. I myself tried Forza Motorsport on the cloud and found that if you use 5GHz Wi-Fi or a LAN cable, the input lag is almost negligible.
What are the challenges?
While these updates are quite useful, there are some limitations as well:
- Internet requirement: Cloud gaming requires stable and fast internet. If you have a weak network connection, the experience may be poor.
- Not all games supported: Only 100+ games are currently available for cloud streaming. Microsoft is slowly expanding this list.
- Game Pass Ultimate required: These features are exclusive to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, which has already increased in price.
Conclusion
The 2025 update of Xbox Cloud Gaming is a big leap forward for gamers. Now you can play not just the games from Game Pass, but also your purchased games and old classics anywhere without installing them. This is a boon for gamers who are struggling with storage or hardware constraints. However, good internet speed (fiber broadband, 5G mobile data) and a Game Pass Ultimate subscription are a must for a better experience.
If you haven’t tried Xbox Cloud Gaming yet, this 2025 update is the perfect time to try it out. So try it now and let others know about this update on social media groups!
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