All articles tagged with #cloud gaming
Netflix is closing two game studios—Night School Studio and Moonloot—as it narrows its gaming portfolio to kid-friendly, party, and story-driven titles. The move follows layoffs at Refactor Games and comes after Unhinged was praised, signaling a strategic realignment of Netflix’s gaming ambitions.
Microsoft’s August 2026 Xbox system update adds cloud-based game launch with post-play updates, restores cloud saves for compatible titles (starting with Forza Horizon 6), introduces Xbox 360 game hubs and enhanced achievement popups, and expands the wishlist cap to 1,000 items with a subscription badge, all while noting broader corporate restructuring within the gaming division.
Nintendo Switch’s cloud version of Aliens: Fireteam Elite has been shut down and cannot be reinstalled, effectively erasing the $60 Ultimate Edition purchase; offline play with AI remains possible, but the cloud version’s removal highlights the risks of cloud gaming on Switch, with questions about refunds or a future native port on Switch 2.
Steam Deck users can now stream PS4/PS5 games via the new Asobi: Remote Play app, including cloud streaming for PS Plus Premium subscribers. The free core tier supports 1080p at 30fps ( SDR ) over home Wi‑Fi or the internet, with automatic bitrate adjustments. The paid tier unlocks 1080p60 HDR, higher bitrate, controller haptics, gyro, on‑device upscaling to 4K, and up to 120fps on supported displays, plus an experimental FEC mode. Sony will no longer bring newer games to PC, and a launch date for the app is not yet announced; playtesting is underway.
Cold Iron Studios has shut down the Nintendo Switch cloud version of Aliens: Fireteam Elite, making the game unplayable for all players once the servers close on August 5, 2026 (JST). No refunds are being offered, and the game, originally priced at $30 (or $60 for the Ultimate edition), will be delisted. Reports suggest affected players could be offered a discount on a Switch 2 version, but that would require paying again for content already purchased. The shutdown comes ahead of the sequel, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, due later this month.
A public playtest of Asobi: Remote Play lets Steam Deck/SteamOS/Linux devices stream PS Plus Premium cloud games without a PS5, via cloud streaming; premium features (60fps, HDR, 4K upscaling, etc.) are unlocked during the trial, after which it reverts to 1080p/30fps; Windows support is planned; Asobi is not an official Sony product, and PS Portal remains a separate cloud option priced around £220.
Microsoft is expanding Xbox to Hisense TVs running VIDAA OS, letting Game Pass subscribers stream games directly to the TV without a console. The Xbox app is rolling out to supported 2024–2026 VIDAA TVs; you’ll need any non–PC Game Pass tier (Essential $10, Premium $15, Ultimate $23), an internet connection, and an Xbox controller (or Bluetooth alternative). Ultimate offers the most titles (over 500) and launch-day titles. The service is streaming-based, so a solid internet connection is required, and Insiders can test streaming owned games for free. If the app hasn’t appeared yet, update your TV firmware and check the Games section on the Home screen to install it; Microsoft says it will continue rolling out to more VIDAA TVs.
TrueAchievements poses a poll on Microsoft’s new ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming for non‑Game Pass owners: you can stream titles you own for up to an hour after a 2‑minute ad, and it won’t affect Game Pass subscribers. The feature is in testing and has sparked discussion on whether readers will give it a try.
Amazon's head of gaming Jeff Gattis envisions a future where rising hardware costs and advances in cloud streaming push players to stream games rather than buy dedicated consoles, with Luna now integrated into Prime Video; though adoption faces latency and business-model hurdles, experts foresee a gradual shift beyond traditional hardware ownership.
Prime Video now includes a Games tab with Luna built in, letting US and UK viewers start Luna titles like Fallout 4 directly within Prime Video on Fire TV, as Amazon positions itself toward casual cloud gaming inside its streaming ecosystem; more devices, countries, and games are on the way.
Microsoft is running a voluntary test of an ad-supported cloud gaming experience for Xbox Insiders. Players can stream owned titles or free-to-play games (e.g., Forza Horizon 6, 007 First Light, Call of Duty: Warzone, Genshin Impact, War Thunder) after a two-minute ad block, then play for up to an hour before another ad block is offered to resume. Xbox says this test will help gauge interest and impact, but it does not confirm a broader ad-supported tier yet; ads are designed to add value without interrupting gameplay and will follow a set of quality guidelines.
Microsoft is testing a free, ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming option for Xbox Insiders that streams only owned games, with one-hour sessions and preroll ads, optional if you have a paid cloud gaming subscription, during a limited test period.
Microsoft will pilot an ad-supported option to stream games players already own, with a one-hour session limit for Xbox Insider participants; separately, Amazon is integrating Luna into Prime Video to boost casual cloud gaming, promoting its service via the Prime ecosystem. Both moves address latency and accessibility challenges in cloud gaming, with no ad-tier for Game Pass announced and Luna aiming to grow beyond its existing user base.
Amazon is embedding the Luna cloud‑gaming service into Prime Video, adding a Games tab and bringing Luna titles such as Hogwarts Legacy, EA Sports FC 26 and Clue to Prime Video on Fire TV. The move aims to boost discovery of casual games, expand Prime Video beyond streaming, and layer interactive IP experiences (with future titles like Tomb Raider and a Bond game referenced) into the platform.
Disgaea creator Sohei Niikawa says Sony’s move toward digital should not erase hardware, arguing physical game editions foster fan connection and act as keepsakes; if Sony eliminates discs, he suggests there may be no reason for a console at all, pointing to cloud gaming as a counterpoint and noting the PS6 could be financially daunting as components get pricier.