Microsoft is planning to upgrade the xCloud serves to Xbox Series X hardware next year, according to a new report.
The Verge's Tom Warren revealed today that the hardware transition from Xbox One S to Xbox Series X hardware for the gaming streaming service will happen sometime in 2021. So, the streaming service will be powered by Xbox One S hardware at launch.
Microsoft is planning to upgrade Project xCloud servers to Xbox Series X hardware in 2021. At launch, Project xCloud will be powered primarily by existing Xbox One S blades
Tom Warren also revealed that Microsoft is planning to roll out the service as part of the Xbox Game Pass later this year.
Microsoft is planning to roll out xCloud as part of Xbox Game Pass later this year
xCloud transitioning to Xbox Series X hardware isn't a particularly surprising reveal, as the upgrade plans were originally revealed back in March, but the timeframe was still unknown. The new console's hardware will not only make Xbox Series X playable through the streaming service, but also bring increased performance for older titles, as the chip is able to run four Xbox One S game sessions simultaneously.
Microsoft is now working to eventually transition these xCloud servers to the Xbox Series X processor. This next-gen processor is far more powerful and capable of running four Xbox One S game sessions simultaneously on a single chip. It also includes a new built-in video encoder that is up to six times faster than the current external encoder that Microsoft uses on existing xCloud servers.
xCloud is currently undergoing beta testing, and it is expected to launch fully later this year. We will let you know more about the service official launch date as soon as possible, so stay tuned for all the latest news.