98 PCWorld NOVEMBER 2020FEATURE PLAY XBOX GAMES ON A CHROMEBOOK
and many of us are stuck at home. Why
squint at a tiny phone when a PC and its
large display could be used instead?
Because Microsoft hasn’t yet published a
cloud gaming app for Windows 10 PCs (go.
pcworld.com/pcap), cloud gaming runs on
top of an Android app, and Android apps
run on some Chromebooks. Bingo!
So, for right now, the best Xbox cloud
gaming PC is, yep, a Chromebook. Just don’t
tell your kids, or they’ll never stop “doing
homework” in their rooms.WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR
XBOX CLOUD GAMING ON
A CHROMEBOOK
Here’s what cloud gaming on a Chromebook
means: games powered by Microsoft’s Xbox
cloud gaming service are running on a
remote server and streamed to your device,
just like Netflix. Not all
of Microsoft’s Xbox
Game Pass suite of
games are available for
playing via the cloud,
but a hefty chunk are.
Any inputs you
make via a controller
or keyboard are sent
back over the internet,
introducing the
slightest bit of delay,
or lag, into the
gameplay. The upsideR
ight now, the most comfortable,
convenient way to take advantage
of Microsoft’s new Xbox cloud
gaming is on...a Chromebook?!
On September 15, Microsoft formally
unveiled cloud gaming for Android phones
and tablets (go.pcworld.com/angm), in the
form of an add-on to its Xbox Game Pass app.
Cloud gaming, formerly known as Project
xCloud, had been in trials for months,
designed as an on-the-go option for gamers
to squeeze in a bit of Sea of Thieves during
downtime, waiting for a bus or plane.
Part of the appeal of Xbox cloud gaming
was its convenience. Another was the fact
that cloud gaming runs remotely on
Microsoft’s servers, allowing the relatively
anemic CPUs found within phones and
tablets to run a powerful, top-tier game. But
wait—we’re in the middle of a pandemic,Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass for Android’s home screen. Make sure you’ve
selected the Cloud tab.