Microsoft would have a new Xbox accessory in the pipeline. The company behind the successful console is said to be developing an HDMI dongle that would allow any TV to access the Xbox service in the cloud.
Would you like to play Xbox, but you don’t want to bother with an imposing home console? Microsoft probably has the solution for you. According to a VentureBeat article published on May 6, 2022, the company is preparing to release an accessory that will allow access to the benefits of Xbox Game Pass from any TV.
The Xbox Streaming Stick is getting closer
The gadget would be similar to the Chromecast or the Amazon Fire TV Stick since it would allow access to Microsoft’s cloud gaming service by simply plugging it into an HDMI port on your TV. In a few clicks, it would therefore be possible to taste the benefits of next-generation games without ever having to buy a console. This “Xbox Streaming Stick”, as it is nicknamed, would also provide access to a catalog of films and series made available by Microsoft. According to VentureBeat, the accessory would arrive within the next 12 months.
This is far from the first time that this rumor has surfaced. In 2021, Liz Hamren (one of the managers of the Xbox branch) frankly admitted that the company was developing “standalone streaming devices that you can plug into a TV or monitor“, without giving more details, however. We recognize Microsoft’s obsession with offering its services on all possible platforms. The latest news on the subject being the arrival of Fortnite on the Xbox cloud gaming, which has allowed the game to reconnect with its users on iPhone.
Bring cloud gaming everywhere
This strategy dubbed “Xbox Everywhere” seeks to make Xbox gaming accessible to an audience that doesn’t want to wait in line to buy a console. It is even rumored that some Samsung connected TVs could integrate the service natively, in the form of an application, without even needing the Xbox stick. All you have to do is connect a controller and pay for the Game Pass subscription to discover Microsoft’s huge video game catalog.
“There are 200 million people who buy a console and three billion people who play games. Today, many of these people do not have the opportunity to play most of these incredible experiences and games. emblematic that you see…”, said Liz Hamren a few weeks ago. It is precisely this audience that Microsoft wants to reach with this new gadget. The game in the cloud is also limited to Full HD at Microsoft for the moment, the accessory could slip into the back of a TV without emptying its wallet. You still need to have the connection that goes with it, on the other hand.