Why it issues: Rumors of Microsoft’s plans for a game-streaming gadget have circulated since no less than 2016, and the corporate confirmed its efforts in direction of yet another than as soon as during the last couple of years. A current info drop reveals that work on the gadget continues however continues to be some time away from manufacturing.
On Thursday, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to Windows Central that the corporate continues to be engaged on a streaming-only gadget. It is iterating on {hardware} devoted to Xbox Cloud Gaming—codenamed Keystone—however is not able to unveil it publicly.
This replace validates a leak in March displaying “Keystone” in a listing of Microsoft working programs. Gaming division head Phil Spencer hinted at Microsoft’s reply to the Chromecast in 2020, and the corporate confirmed the event of such a tool final 12 months. The information adopted earlier rumors of a $99 streaming field or stick.
XBOX KEYSTONE pic.twitter.com/warAwisfKh
— Tero Alhonen” (@teroalhonen) March 9, 2022
Currently, Game Pass subscribers can stream video games on an Xbox, a cell gadget, or almost any PC. However, Microsoft thinks it might probably nonetheless achieve subscribers by way of {hardware} that may stream to TVs for a fraction of the value of an Xbox.
The gadget might turn out to be a stick, dongle, or a small set-top field operating a model of the Xbox OS. On prime of streaming video games, it may also help leisure apps already obtainable on Xbox like Netflix and Apple TV. Whatever Microsoft brings to that market, it is protected to imagine we can’t see it this 12 months.
