“This is an Xbox” is Microsoft’s latest marketing slogan for its Xbox platform. The idea is that almost everything, bar a Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 5, can function like an Xbox. No console required. And, on its current trajectory, it seems Microsoft would like to make the PS5 an Xbox, too, if it were allowed.
You can stream many of the titles available on Xbox Game Pass, and a large fitful of others you already own to a whole host of other non-Xbox devices.
In effect, you no longer need an Xbox Series X or Series S to play the latest games. But this will involve streaming them in Netflix style, rather than playing them locally.
How do you get started? Here’s the list of platforms or services supported:
You can also get the service working on Android TV sets, through a Google Chromecast with Android TV, many Sony TVs and some from TCL and Panasonic. You’ll need to download a browser app and use the Android instructions found below, though.
Xbox game cloud streaming: What do you need?
While you don’t need a console to play Xbox games any more, there are a few other vital factors required:
What controllers can be used with Xbox game streaming? Our top recommendation is the Xbox Series controller, which costs £40.
If that’s too pricey, you can use a Made for Xbox controller, of which there are absolutely loads. Some of the top brands in this area for budget buys include PowerA and PDP.
Their cheaper models tend to feel lighter and less substantial than the official Xbox controller, but can cost half the price. The one issue: these officially supported controllers are all typically wired, not wireless. That’s not much use if you want to stream on an iPad or iPhone.
For that job, you may be best off using a wireless controller that’s not officially supported. 8BitDo is our go-to brand for affordable pads in this space. And you can even use the Sony DualShock 4 (PS4) or Dualsense (PS5) controllers. With these pads, you just have to put up with the buttons potentially not bearing the right symbols to match what’s on-screen.
What Xbox games can you stream?
Xbox Cloud Streaming lets you play many, but not all, of the games in the Xbox Game Pass library.
There are more than 550 entries over at the Xbox Cloud Gaming website, which you can flick through. We counted. But this does include multiple editions of some games, and most recent additions to the Xbox Streaming library: titles you own, rather than Game Pass library ones.
You can now stream games you own digitally, even if they are not part of the current Game Pass library. At the time of writing, there are 50 of these games, including some true big-hitters. Here’s the current list:
- 7 Days to Die
- Animal Well
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
- Balatro
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Dragon’s Quest III HD-2D Remake
- Dredge
- Dying Light 2
- Final Fantasy
- Final Fantasy II
- Final Fantasy III
- Final Fantasy IV
- Final Fantasy V
- Final Fantasy VI
- Final Fantasy XIV Online
- Farming Simulator 25
- Fear the Spotlight
- Hitman World of Assassination
- Hades
- Quidditch Champions
- High on Life
- Hogwarts Legacy
- House Flipper 2
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- LEGO Harry Potter Collection
- Life is Strange: Double Exposure
- Guardian of the Galaxy
- Metro Exodus
- Mortal Komat 1
- NBA 2K25
- PGA Tour 2K23
- Phasmaphobia
- Prince of Persia The Lost Crown
- Rust
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Stray
- The Casting of Frank Stone
- The Crew Motorfest
- The Outlast Trials
- The Plucky Squire
- The Witcher 3
- Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
- Top Spin 2K25
- Undertale
- Visions of Mana
- WWE 2K24
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
One issue: owning the disc is not enough. You have to own them digitally.
How to stream Xbox Games on Android phones
Microsoft discontinued the Xbox Cloud Streaming app for Android in November 2024. And, at the time of writing, it has not yet implemented the service in the main Xbox app. Microsoft has fumbled this one a bit.
However, you can still use game streaming through your browser by heading to xbox.com/play. From there, it’s all pretty simple to get started if you have a controller connected.
How to stream Xbox Games on iPhone and iPad
Similar to an Android phone, you can use your Safari browser to stream Xbox games on iOS devices like iPhones and iPads.
Go to xbox.com/play and sign in to your Xbox Game Pass account to get started. Microsoft also suggests you may want to add a shortcut to your homepage, to make the experience feel more immediate. You do this by tapping the Share button, then Add to Home Screen.
How to Stream Xbox Games on Meta Quest headsets
One of the coolest non-console ways to play Xbox games is with a Meta Quest headset. This puts a giant virtual TV, or projector screen, in front of your face. And you can resize it to your tastes.
There is a dedicated app for it, called Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta). You simply download it right from the app store on the headset itself.
How to Stream Xbox Games on Windows laptops/PCs
If you use a Windows PC or laptop, there’s also a dedicated app for Xbox access – as you would hope, given Microsoft makes Windows.
You need to download the Xbox app from here, and it’s one of the few platforms that gets a proper app at present.
How to Stream Xbox Games on MacBooks and Macs
Apple fan? The process on a MacBook or Mac is just the same as on an iPhone. You head to xbox.com/play in your web browser, and login to your Xbox Game Pass account.
This might be one of the cheapest ways to start streaming, as you can use a fairly cheap cabled pad to get started.
How to Stream Xbox Games on Samsung TVs
Samsung TVs from 2021 and beyond have access to an Xbox app, as long as they are high-end enough to have smart TV services.
You’ll find it in your TV’s Samsung Gaming Hub, represented by the gamepad icon on the left sidebar of the interface.
How to Stream Xbox Games on Fire TV sticks
Amazon Fire TV sticks and boxes have a dedicated Xbox Streaming app. To find it, just tap the Home button, then Find to access the Search menu.
Input Xbox and you should find it.
