After a few months in testing, Microsoft officially launched “Project xCloud” this week as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The cloud streaming service is live now on most Android devices, but Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Game Pass won’t arrive on Android TV anytime soon.
In a tweet regarding this week’s launch, Microsoft throws another shot at Apple and its restrictions over cloud gaming services but also clarifies exactly how it supports Android.
Microsoft says Xbox Game Pass won’t support devices that run “modified, alternate, or emulated” versions of Android. That immediately rules out forked versions of Android such as Amazon’s Fire OS on Kindle tablets, but it also means Android TV is left out. Microsoft calls out Google’s platform by name, alongside Chrome OS and a somewhat hilarious mention of Android Auto.
Also of note, Microsoft mentions that BlueStacks, an Android emulator for computers, won’t support Game Pass. Interestingly, Microsoft also says OxygenOS, OnePlus’ skin over Android, won’t be supported. That’s more than likely an erroneous inclusion since other skins such as Samsung’s OneUI aren’t mentioned.
It’s unclear if Microsoft has any plans to bring Xbox Game Pass to Android TV in the future, but Google’s platform also technically lacks support for the company’s own Stadia. That’s slowly being fixed, but there are no signs Xbox Game Pass is getting the same treatment. It’s worth noting, too, that Microsoft hasn’t revealed any plans whatsoever to bring Xbox Game Pass cloud streaming to television.
More on Android TV:
- Google Duo can now be installed on Android TV, but it doesn’t fully work yet
- Xiaomi Mi TV Stick Review: Android TV’s most affordable device is a great, basic streamer
- Google’s ‘Sabrina’ Android TV dongle appears at major retailers suggesting $49-$59 price
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