90 PCWorld DECEMBER 2019REVIEWS
Hands on with Microsoft’s Project
xCloud: Putting cellular cloud
gaming to the test
Microsoft’s Project xCloud will never surpass a local console, or a PC. But for passing time
while stuck in a hotel lobby, dentist’s office, or airport, it’s not bad. BY MARK HACHMANW
hen Microsoft began
calling for people to test its
Project xCloud cloud
gaming service last month,
I was skeptical of how it would perform over
the toughest stress test you can throw at it: a
cellular connection. That’s why I was surprised
at how well it works.
I’ve been trying the Project xCloud beta offand on for more than a week now. Keep in mind
that Microsoft is actually testing two betas at the
moment: Xbox Console Streaming, where
you’re streaming games you own from your
Xbox to a mobile phone or tablet; and Project
xCloud, which takes a pre-selected batch of four
games and allows you to play them over a
wireless connection. I’ve tested only the latter,
though the former is now live for Xbox InsidersIMAGE: MICROSOFT