Microsoft has teamed up with Amazon to bring the Xbox gaming app to two Fire TV devices. This partnership allows Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to play Xbox games on their TVs via cloud streaming, eliminating the need for a console. Starting in July, the Xbox app will work with last year's 4K and 4K Max Fire TV Sticks. To use this feature, users will need a Bluetooth-compatible controller, such as Amazon's Luna gamepad.
The Fire TV Sticks that support this feature are priced from $49.99, while gamepads cost around $30. A month of Game Pass Ultimate is $16.99. Although this setup isn't cheap, it's significantly more affordable than buying an Xbox console. However, not all Game Pass titles are available for streaming. Popular games like "Starfield," "Sea of Thieves," "Palworld," and "Halo Infinite's" campaign mode can be streamed, but the entire Game Pass library is not accessible via cloud gaming.
Amazon has focused heavily on several games from the Fallout series. Games like "Fallout 3," "Fallout 4," "Fallout: New Vegas," and "Fallout 76" are available for cloud gaming through Game Pass. Both Microsoft and Amazon recognize the potential of these titles, especially following the surge in interest in the Fallout series. This interest was spurred by the success of the live-action TV show that premiered in April on Amazon Prime.
The popularity of the Fallout TV show was unexpected for both Amazon and Microsoft, as there was little cross-promotion at its launch. The show's success led to an interesting situation in mid-April when "Fallout 4" and "Fallout 76" became top sellers on the PlayStation Store. This resulted in Microsoft having more first-party games in PlayStation's top 25 best-sellers list than Sony.
This collaboration between Microsoft and Amazon demonstrates a significant change in gaming accessibility and strategy. Rather than viewing platforms like PlayStation 5 and Amazon's media ecosystem as competitors, Microsoft sees them as opportunities. The traditional idea of a console war has evolved, with much of the competition now taking place in more indirect ways.
By making Xbox cloud gaming available on Fire TV devices, Microsoft is taking a major step in increasing gaming accessibility. They are leveraging cloud technology and expanding the reach of Game Pass to position themselves strongly in a landscape where the conventional console competition is becoming less relevant. This shift indicates a broader trend in the gaming industry, where the focus is moving towards more inclusive and accessible gaming experiences.
Microsoft's strategy is to dominate by making their games available across various platforms and devices. This partnership with Amazon is a key part of that strategy, allowing them to reach a wider audience and provide gamers with more flexibility in how they play their favorite games. By embracing cloud gaming and partnerships with other tech giants, Microsoft is redefining its competitive approach in the gaming industry.