Project xCloud Public Preview Begins In October

How close are we to streaming Xbox games no matter where we are? After months and months of internal testing, Microsoft is finally ready to let the general public get its hands on the Project xCloud streaming service.

Project xCloud's public preview officially kicks off in October, and as it so happens, signups are live right now on the Microsoft website. According to Microsoft, four games will initially be supported during the preview period: Gears 5, Halo 5, Sea of Thieves, and Killer Instinct. And the preview will be open to Xbox players in three different markets around the world: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Korea.

Unfortunately, a large swath of gamers are going to be left out of the first preview for Project xCloud simply because of the mobile ecosystem they're in. At this point in time, Microsoft is only testing on Android smartphones and tablets, meaning that those with iPhones and iPads won't get to join in. It's likely, however, that Microsoft will eventually work toward supporting iOS devices for Project xCloud in the future.

It's not like Microsoft doesn't put apps on Apple devices, after all; you can get the Xbox and Xbox Game Pass apps for iOS. It's more likely the company just finds Android friendlier for testing purposes, as updates can be quickly pushed out to users without having to worry about App Store approvals.

Anyway, if you're an Android user and you have even a passing interest in streaming Gears 5, Halo 5, Sea of Thieves, or Killer Instinct on your smartphone or tablet, you should register now for Project xCloud's public preview. We imagine Microsoft won't be taking all comers, and the longer you wait, the longer the queue will get.

We'll be sure to update you should any other xCloud-related stories come from Microsoft in the near future. Stay tuned.