TITLE: Xbox Cloud Gaming Exits Beta with 1440p Resolution Upgrade
Xbox Cloud Gaming Sheds Beta Label After Five Years
Microsoft has officially removed the beta tag from Xbox Cloud Gaming, marking a significant milestone for the streaming service that first launched in 2020. The announcement comes from Dustin Blackwell, Microsoft’s director of gaming and platform communications, who confirmed the service is now out of its preview state.
Enhanced Streaming Quality for Ultimate Subscribers
The beta removal coincides with substantial improvements to Xbox Cloud Gaming, particularly for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Streaming quality has been upgraded to support 1440p resolution for select games and devices, representing the highest visual quality the service has offered to date.
Blackwell emphasized that despite the resolution boost, the service will maintain its signature short wait times for players. Some users had already noticed 1440p support appearing in games like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora last month, with bitrates peaking at 27Mbps compared to the current average of 10-17Mbps.
Visual Quality Leap Forward
This upgrade marks the first major visual improvement since Microsoft upgraded its cloud hardware to Xbox Series X-like blades in 2021. The higher bitrates should significantly reduce streaming artifacts and deliver clearer, more detailed game visuals. As originally reported by industry monitors, this enhancement positions Xbox Cloud Gaming for better competition in the cloud gaming space.
Expanded Access Across Game Pass Tiers
Microsoft is also broadening cloud gaming access beyond the Ultimate tier for the first time, extending it to the new Xbox Game Pass Essential and Premium plans. This means more players will be able to stream games they own or titles from the Game Pass library without needing the top-tier subscription.
Future Expectations and Current Limitations
While the 1440p upgrade is impressive, it remains limited to specific games and devices. Microsoft still has ground to cover to match the streaming quality of services like Nvidia’s GeForce Now. Industry observers suggest we may need to wait for Microsoft’s next-generation console launch before seeing 4K resolution, higher frame rates, and further bitrate improvements become available through the cloud service.
The combination of beta removal, resolution upgrades, and expanded access signals Microsoft’s continued commitment to cloud gaming as an essential part of its gaming ecosystem.
