Microsoft’s Project XCloud comes to iOS devices with interesting restrictions

Microsoft’s Project XCloud streaming service is ready to test iOS support. In a blog post, Microsoft stated that the company heard the requests (and tweets) for iOS compatibility. The company was internally testing iOS support and now is ready to expand that test to the public through the TestFlight program. 

The expansion comes with some significant restrictions thanks in part to the Apple Store’s policies. Microsoft states that the test will feel very different to those on iOS devices compared to those on Android. For instance, it does not include console streaming and is only for Project XCloud.

In fact, the iOS TestFlight preview will only have access to a single game, thanks to some unknown Apple Store policies. At the moment the only game will be Halo: The Master Chief Collection and will only be available to 10,000 testers. The limited audience is expected to expand, but they may not be allowed to remain throughout the entire testing period.

iOS devices have been left in the cold when it comes to the growing field of cloud gaming. The other dominating names in the budding industry, Nvidia GeForce Now and Google Stadia, do not offer currently offer iOS support. Google Stadia allows players to manage their content through an iOS app but does not support actually playing the game on the device. Microsoft’s expansion to iOS represents the first step in bringing cloud gaming to iOS.

Those interested will need a Microsoft account that is connected to an Xbox Gamertag, and a device running iOS 13.0 or later and running Bluetooth version 4.0. Bluetooth is required to connect to the Xbox One controller. Hopeful testers can register at the Project XCloud Registration site.