How to Play the Xbox Game Streaming Beta

Microsoft is all but ready to launch its cloud streaming service (the service formerly known as Project xCloud) on September 15. But ahead of its launch, Microsoft has launched a beta testing phase, that members subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can go ahead and try on their Android-based devices. But since it isn’t the full rollout, there’s a little bit of extra legwork you have to do to get it running.

How to Play the Xbox Game Streaming Beta

Honestly, the number of Xbox-branded apps is getting silly! If you’re a card-carrying member of Xbox Game Pass, you’ve probably already downloaded the Xbox Game Pass app, which itself is designed to be a replacement for the Xbox app. That’s especially true on platforms like Windows 10, which will politely yell at you to switch apps. But there’s actually a separate app from the new Xbox Game Pass one that you have to download to try the streaming service.

This isn’t a new app, but a sort of supplemental app Microsoft uses to test new features. If you haven’t been paying close attention, you may not have bothered with it before. It’s the Xbox Game Pass (Beta) app, which doesn’t exactly scream “game streaming!” 

Related: Official Xbox xCloud Controller and Accessories List

But for now, this is where Xbox Game Streaming lives. Once you download this app, sign into your Microsoft/Live account and you’ll immediately be taken to the Game Streaming menu, and the impressive list of games available while the service is still in beta. There’s a little something in each genre slot, from Halo and Gears to A Plague Tale and Streets of Rage 4. It works really well, as long as you have an Android device.

Unfortunately, as you may have noticed this week especially, there’s a lot of drama going down with Apple and its iOS policies preventing apps like this from being available properly. Until something gives there, Android is required to test out Xbox Game Streaming. But if you’re on team iPhone all is not lost depending on what else you have available. For example, I won’t be playing Halo on my iPhone anytime soon, but the app does work great on my Chromebook, which doesn’t even run Google Stadia properly. Weird, right?

• Xbox Live Isn’t Going Anywhere, Says Microsoft
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Project xCloud Are Merging
• Xbox Series X Box Art Changes Following Backlash

Have you given Xbox Game Streaming a whirl on the Xbox Game Pass Beta app yet? Does your home internet connection allow such tomfoolery? Or are you waiting for the official rollout for any potential issue fixes before dropping the bandwidth? Let us know how you’re feeling about game streaming’s slow takeover on the Prima Games Facebook and Twitter channels!