Google Chrome browser won’t get major Windows upgrade on Chromecast

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Chrome browsers can now stream Xbox games (Image: MICROSOFT)

Google Chrome continues to expand its services in various ways, with the browser still being the largest part of the existing ecosystem. That’s without downplaying how important Chromecast support is to the company, with new viewing and gaming features being announced regularly.

But it was Chrome’s turn to get its next big upgrade this year, with Microsoft confirming that one of its most popular features is now compatible and fully usable through the Google browser.

As confirmed earlier in 2021, anyone with a Chrome browser on their computer or chosen device can now stream Xbox video games from the official website. This same option has also been launched via the Windows 10 app, but it remains in beta and not generally available.

The Xbox Cloud Game service eliminates the need for dedicated graphics cards or enough RAM to run your favorite games and is an extension of the existing service found on Windows computers, albeit with the need for hardware and downloads.

The only downside is that it is not a free service and you can only choose from a pre-selected library of games.

The good news is that the digital library in question is huge and includes all the first-party exclusives Microsoft makes, meaning Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon, or Gears of War.

This is all part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the Microsoft version of Netflix for video games, which allows subscribers to download titles to their consoles or stream them to their web browser or phone.

To access all of the above features, you need to buy Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the most expensive package.

And the other downside is that for now you’ll need a compatible controller to use with your PC to play these games, although there are touch screen compatible titles that can be used via the mobile app.

A post from Microsoft adds: “Xbox Cloud Gaming is available to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets, via browser, in 22 countries. If you are a member or would like to join, simply visit xbox.com/play in Microsoft Edge, Chrome or Safari on your PC or mobile device to play hundreds of games from the Xbox Game Pass library.

“With billions of active Windows 10 PCs, iOS devices and Android phones, we want you to have new possibilities to play the deepest, most immersive games whenever and wherever you want.

“Put simply, we’re bringing the Xbox experience straight to the devices you use most.”

And while you can’t play all the Xbox games you might want, Microsoft has made some pretty interesting changes behind the scenes.

With the Xbox Series X quickly becoming the new standard for the tech giant in computing power, they’ve also made it their new streaming standard.

Xbox Cloud Gaming is now powered by custom Xbox Series X hardware through Microsoft data centers around the world.

This means faster load times and improved frame rates, but while the Xbox Series X console is also capable of offering 4K resolution, it’s not coming to the Google Chrome browser yet.

To ensure the lowest latency, Microsoft streams at 1080p and up to 60 fps, but these stats may go up in the future.

And the number of devices compatible with Xbox Cloud Streaming may also change in the future, with the next logical step being to bring a native experience to Chromecast.

Recent reports indicate that the Xbox Game Pass app is coming to Android TV devices, and some have been sideloading since 2020.

But we may have to wait a little longer before we get official compatibility on all Google devices.

Check all Gaming News here: Gaming Ideology

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