Microsoft updates Xbox Cloud Gaming app for Android to include dual-screen support for the Surface Duo, and says 50+ games have added support for touch controls
The new xCloud app is like a Nintendo 3DS with Xbox games — Microsoft teased the potential for an Xbox handheld-like experience …
Surface Duo owners can use the two displays as separate game and control surfaces in Xbox Cloud Gaming, giving Microsoft's foldable a tailored Xbox use case.
More than 50 supported Xbox games become playable through touch controls, immediately expanding controller-free access for Android cloud-gaming users.
Second-order effects
Touch-enabled titles reduce the need for the mobile controller clips Microsoft previously added to its Xbox accessory program, shifting part of the mobile experience from hardware attachment to game-specific UI design.
Game teams seeking parity on mobile gain an incentive to implement Microsoft's touchscreen-control tools, while Surface Duo support raises the value of adapting layouts for unusual device form factors.
Third-order effects
If touch-control coverage continues to widen, Xbox Cloud Gaming becomes less dependent on the console-controller pairing and more able to use Android devices as direct service endpoints.
The update points to a console-to-service model in which interface adaptation—across touch and dual-screen devices—becomes part of how Microsoft expands the reachable Xbox audience.
The trend: Xbox is extending its console-to-service flywheel by adapting cloud games to the interfaces of mobile devices rather than requiring mobile devices to mimic a console setup.
A very cool update goes live for #SurfaceDuo customers today! Working with @Xbox we've put touch controls on to the second screen. More than 50 games are available to play with touch for @xboxGamePass Ultimate Members. https://twitter.com/...
Microsoft is turning its Surface Duo into a handheld Xbox today. The latest app update for Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) let's you use one screen for touch controls and the other for the game. It's like a Nintendo 3DS with Xbox games. Details here: https://www.theverge.com/... https…
I'm proud of all the teams that came together to deliver this new feature. It's important that we provide gamers the best experience based on where they want to play, and we will continue to do so as we move ahead with cloud gaming. https://twitter.com/...
Why use a controller when you can control xCloud games using a completely undifferentiated touch pad that is completely ill-suited for the job??? https://twitter.com/...
Bringing together #SurfaceDuo and @XboxGamePass offers an incredible new gaming experience anytime, anywhere. Fantastic work from both the @Surface and @Xbox teams. https://twitter.com/...
Such an obvious use case for the dual-screened Duo, surprised it took this long. Microsoft has turned the Surface Duo into a handheld Xbox https://www.theverge.com/...