Microsoft Now Lets You Stream Xbox Games on Your PC
No console? No problem.
If you've kept your ears to the ground recently and saw the Xbox ad released late last year, you would know that the definition of what an Xbox is has changed. It used to be a gaming console or a big plastic box under your TV.
But with Microsoft flipping the idea on its head, saying almost anything can be an Xbox, it looks like they really meant it, as users will now be able to play Xbox games, directly from their PC, no console connection required.
The feature, called “Stream your own game,” is now available on Windows PCs to those who are part of the Xbox Insider program and have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. It lets you stream games you already own digitally from the cloud, even if those games are console-only. That means titles that were previously locked to Xbox hardware, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, are now playable on your PC without needing to download the massive 128GB file.
Oluwaseun Bamisile
It’s the latest expansion of a feature Microsoft started rolling out earlier this year on other platforms—TVs, browsers, Meta Quest headsets, and even the Xbox consoles themselves. The goal is to turn Xbox from a thing you buy into something you subscribe to and access wherever. Just open the Xbox app on Windows, head to the Cloud Gaming section, and dive into your personal game library. Over 250 games are supported for now, and Microsoft says more are on the way.
But there are a few things to keep in mind. The feature only works in the 28 countries where Xbox Cloud Gaming is supported. It also requires you to own the games digitally—physical discs won’t cut it—and to be enrolled in the Xbox Insider PC Gaming Preview. That said, joining the Insider program is free, and if you’re already paying for Game Pass Ultimate ($20/month), the rest is fairly seamless.
Still, it’s a meaningful shift. It shows that Microsoft isn’t just talking about “Xbox as a platform”—they’re actively building it. Just weeks ago, the company partnered with Meta to launch the Quest 3S Xbox Edition, turning a VR headset into a cloud gaming machine. Now, they’re turning your regular PC into an Xbox, too.
So again, what even is an Xbox? At this rate, it might just be wherever you decide to play.
