Skip to main content

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate adds cloud gaming on September 15

Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud gaming is launching in a little over a month. And some new controllers to facilitate anywhere play will be available with it.

Recommended Videos

Project xCloud gaming will be available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on September 15, Microsoft said in a blog post on Tuesday. The service will launch with more than 100 games, including Minecraft Dungeons , Destiny 2, and Gears 5 . Microsoft reiterated that any new Xbox Game Studios title , including Halo Infinite , will also be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on launch day.

The service will only be available on Android phones and tablets, and launch in 22 markets including the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Microsoft said it will launch Ultimate’s cloud gaming in additional markets after it can ensure the service is stable enough to be available elsewhere.

Xbox Game Pass, which costs $10 per month, gives users access to more than 100 games each month. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which costs $15 per month, adds Xbox Live Gold and allows users to access their accounts on both consoles and PCs. Microsoft said on Tuesday that Game Pass now has more than 10 million subscribers but didn’t break out which of those subscribe to the standard plan and which have opted for Ultimate.

Microsoft also said Tuesday that it has partnered with third-party accessory makers Razer, PowerA, and 8BitDo to offer new controllers designed for mobile play.

Razer’s Kishi accessory comes with an extender feature that lets users place their phones inside the controller and use physical buttons on either side to control gameplay. The device, which connects to smartphones using a USB-C connection, is available now for $100.

PowerA’s upcoming MOGA XP5-X Plus is a Bluetooth controller that connects wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet. It also comes with a phone mount so users can hold the controller and phone together. It will be available on September 15 for $70, but customers can preorder it today.

Similar to Razer’s Kishi, PowerA is also working on an all-in-one controller with an extender that will allow players to insert their phones into the device. The MOGA XP7-X Plus will connect to phones via Bluetooth and launch this winter for $100.

8BitDo has a more budget-friendly controller in the works that aims at retro gamers. The company’s SN30 Pro looks more like an old Sega Genesis controller and comes with a built-in mount for holding a phone. The controller will launch on September 21 for $50.

In addition to the new accessories, xCloud players will be able to control games with Microsoft’s Xbox One Bluetooth Wireless Controller. Sony’s DualShock 4 controllers also work with xCloud games.

Don Reisinger
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Don Reisinger is a freelance technology, video game, and entertainment journalist. He has been writing about the world of…
3 new Game Pass games to play this weekend (June 20-22)
Queen Aleksandra near a giant metal enemy.

Today marks the first official day of summer, so what better way to beat the heat than with some cool new Game Pass games? The middle and end of the month tend to be a bit slower for new games, but this week has not just one, but two day one additions to sink your teeth into. What makes my job of picking the best ones even easier is the fact that I am spoiled for choice in terms of variety. I have a great new co-op shooter, a deliciously dark action roguelike, plus a throwback platformer that anyone can enjoy. Each one can dominate your weekend, so let's skip right to the good stuff and talk about the three Game Pass games I know you will love playing this weekend.

FBC: Firebreak

Read more
3 new Game Pass games to play this weekend (June 13-15)
The mobile base in The Alters.

If you're a superstitious person, Friday the 13th might be a bad sign for this weekend. While I can't say you won't encounter any bad luck, what I can promise is that you will have more than enough fun with all the new Game Pass games hitting the service. Last weekend's Xbox Games Showcase showed off too many upcoming Xbox Series X games to count, most of which will be day-one Game Pass games when they come out, but we still have a while to wait for games like Keeper and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. All that excitement may have overshadowed the latest batch of Game Pass games, including a fantastic day one sci-fi survival game like nothing else, a delightful co-op strategy game, and the biggest sports game just in time for the World Cup.

The Alters

Read more
Ninja Gaiden 4 is PlatinumGames at its best (and bloodiest)
A ninja faces off against an enemy in Ninja Gaiden 4.

Earlier this year, I revisited a golden age of gaming when I played Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. The remake brought me back to a time where character action games ruled, and each one felt different in its own way. It felt so distant from today's landscape, filled with Soulslikes that worship at the altar of the parry button. That experience left me feeling prepared for the series' next installment, Ninja Gaiden 4.

Or so I thought. It turns out that the upcoming sequel, scheduled to launch on October 21, is a new beast entirely. I found that out when I played a chunk of it following last weekend's Xbox Games Showcase and walked out with a big grin on my face. Though its changes to the series' patented action may bum some purists out, I'm personally thrilled to report that developer PlatinumGames has taken this opportunity to create the most Platinum game possible. And thank God for that.

Read more