It looks like Microsoft could soon roll out a new Xbox feature that allows users to stream Xbox games that are not currently available on Game Pass. Reporter Tom Warren shared images of the Xbox Cloud Gaming pages for High on Life and Dying Light 2, which note that they are playable via streaming when purchased. Players also need a Game Pass Ultimate membership to stream games.
This could be a signal that Microsoft will roll out Project Lapland, the reported codename for the ability to stream games you own. Warren previously reported that this could happen as soon as November 2024, and that may be coming to fruition. This will reportedly begin with a testing period for Xbox Insiders (sign up for free here) before rolling out to everyone later. Previously, a game had to be in the Game Pass library to stream–but this is apparently expanding to more games soon.
Launching this feature in November lines up with the ability to buy Xbox games directly from the Xbox app on Android, which goes live this month. This will seemingly allow people to buy an Xbox game on their Android device and then stream it right away.
some Xbox games that aren’t part of Xbox Game Pass have started showing up on Xbox Cloud Gaming this week 👀 #projectlaplandsoon pic.twitter.com/NabZOB880s
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) November 19, 2024
All of this is part of Microsoft’s new vision for Xbox that goes beyond the console. The company recently launched a new ad campaign called “This Is An Xbox,” and the main takeaway is the phone in your pocket is an Xbox; so is your PC and your TV, thanks to Game Pass and the cloud.
In addition to Project Lapland, Microsoft is working on a next-generation Xbox console that could operate alongside a dedicated Xbox handheld device.
In other Xbox news, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is out now, and it’s available through Game Pass. For more, check out all the games coming to Game Pass in the first half of November.
