Microsoft is set to support the streaming of Xbox game libraries next month. Sources close to the company have informed Technology Mea that Microsoft is preparing to test the ability to stream games you own that aren’t part of the current Xbox Game Pass library.
This initiative is part of a long-running project known as Project Lapland, which aims to enhance Xbox Cloud Gaming servers to support thousands of games. Microsoft plans to initially test these new streaming capabilities with Xbox Insiders in November before rolling them out to a wider audience and more titles.
The expansion of Xbox Cloud Gaming coincides with Microsoft’s plans to enable game purchases through its Xbox mobile app for Android in the US. This change follows a recent court ruling that requires Google to stop enforcing Google Play Billing for apps in the Play Store starting November 1st. Xbox president Sarah Bond announced that “starting in November, players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.” Once the infrastructure for a complete game library on Xbox Cloud Gaming is established, users will be able to buy an Xbox game on Android and stream it immediately.
Originally, Project xCloud aimed to launch game library streaming in 2020. Microsoft announced support for personal game libraries on Xbox Cloud Gaming in 2022, but it never materialized that year. The process has been complicated by the need to prepare infrastructure for thousands of games, rather than the hundreds currently available on Xbox Game Pass. While many titles will soon be accessible through Xbox Cloud Gaming, some publishers may withhold certain games due to licensing issues or agreements.
Additionally, Microsoft is developing a browser-based Xbox mobile store, initially planned for launch in July. This store will start by offering deals and in-game items, with plans to expand to first-party games in the future. In August, Microsoft stated that testing of the web-based mobile store had begun and that “work is progressing well, and we will have more to share in the future.”
