Microsoft is rolling out an exciting new update for Xbox PC app and console users: your cloud games will soon follow you seamlessly across all your devices. This means whether you’re gaming on your Xbox console, PC, or a handheld device, your recently played cloud titles will appear in a new “play history” section, making it incredibly easy to pick up right where you left off. This update promises a more connected and convenient gaming experience, truly bridging the gap between your different Xbox-powered setups.
Contents
Your Games, Everywhere You Go
Imagine starting a game on your living room Xbox, then later wanting to continue it on your gaming PC or even a portable handheld – all without missing a beat. That’s precisely what this new feature enables. Microsoft is integrating cloud-playable games directly into the “recently played” list, ensuring they’re front and center wherever you log in.
This isn’t just for games you own, either. As Lily Wang, Product Manager of Xbox experiences, explained, “This includes all cloud playable titles, even console exclusives spanning from the original Xbox to Xbox Series X|S, whether you own the title or access it through Game Pass.” This broad compatibility means your entire cloud gaming library is more accessible than ever before.
The Magic of Cross-Device Play History
The core of this new experience is the “play history” section. It’s designed to be a universal record of your gaming sessions, whether they happened natively on a console or streamed via the cloud. This means if you were enjoying an Xbox-exclusive game on your console that isn’t typically available on PC, it will still show up in your recent games list on your Windows computer, ready to be launched through Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Crucially, this seamless transition extends to your game saves as well. Your progress will be saved in the cloud, ensuring that when you switch devices, you can jump back into the action exactly where you left off, without any manual transfers or lost data.
Screenshot of the Xbox PC application dashboard showing the 'Play History' section, featuring various game tiles ready for cross-device cloud play.
Finding and Launching Your Cloud Adventures
Within the Xbox PC app, finding your cloud-ready games is getting simpler. You’ll soon see a new filter in the library section specifically for cloud-playable titles. On the home screen of the Xbox PC app, a new “play history” section will appear at the end of the “jump back in” list – that’s the row of games you’ve recently played.
Wang noted, “While the large tiles highlight games you’ve recently played on your current device, the play history tile shows games you’ve played across any Xbox device, making it easy to pick up where you left off.” This distinction helps you quickly identify games played across different platforms versus those specific to your current device. This same “play history” section will also be implemented on the main Xbox console interface.
What’s Next for Xbox Cloud Gaming?
The integration of cross-device play history on both PC and console interfaces sparks exciting speculation. Could this pave the way for PC-native games to also be streamable through Xbox Cloud Gaming in the future? Microsoft currently powers its cloud gaming servers using Xbox Series X hardware. However, internal discussions from 2023 revealed that Microsoft has been exploring the potential for streaming PC games over the cloud.
As Microsoft continues to blur the lines between Xbox and PC platforms, especially with the direction of its next-generation consoles, it seems increasingly likely that Xbox Cloud Gaming will evolve to support a broader array of PC games, potentially with improved streaming quality. This move would further solidify Xbox as a true cross-platform gaming ecosystem.
This update represents a significant step towards a truly fluid gaming experience, making it easier than ever to enjoy your Xbox titles no matter which device you prefer. Get ready to game without boundaries!
