That Cloud Gaming is the future is a fact, but apparently the data is higher than expected. Microsoft has indeed announced that over 20 million users they used their own service Xbox Cloud Gaminga figure that has doubled from 10 million in January 2022.
The data was released yesterday – Tuesday 25 October – when the CEO Satya Nadella announced its first fiscal quarter 2023 earnings.
Boom of users for Xbox Cloud Gaming: thanks to Fortnite
According to The Verge, a big push should be attributed to the agreement between Microsoft and Epic Games, which took place right after the announcement in January, which brought the hugely popular Fortnite to the Xbox Cloud service.
“It is clear that the partnership has enhanced Xbox Cloud Gaming – reports The Verge – in particular because it is the only game available for free through the service and does not require an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription”.
Microsoft’s Cloud Gaming is currently free for Game Pass subscribers. Despite this, if the above hypothesis of The Verge were confirmed, new scenarios could open up for the service. Fortnite is in fact a free-to-play, therefore it does not require any purchase and no subscription to play: you just need an internet connection. Microsoft could therefore think of a plan for Cloud Gaming at a reduced price, unrelated to the Game Pass subscription.
Speculation aside, Microsoft has already announced that the company is working on keyboard and mouse support in Cloud Gaming, and expanding the service on Meta Quest VR headsets.
Meanwhile Logitech has announced the new Logitech G Cloud, a console specially designed for cloud gaming.