Microsoft is teaming up with Amazon to bring the Xbox app to select Fire TV devices. This will allow owners to stream games on the Xbox app via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
In a post on Xbox.com, Microsoft revealed that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier subscribers in over 25 countries can play games on the Xbox app on select Fire TV devices starting next month. More specifically, the Xbox app will be available in two Fire TV devices: the 2023 models of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and the Fire TV Stick 4K. To access the app, players must install and launch the Xbox app on the applicable Fire TV device, log into their account (or subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate), and connect a Bluetooth wireless controller.
This is not the first time Microsoft has teamed up with a tech giant to expand access to the Xbox app and provide easier access to Xbox Cloud Gaming without needing a smartphone, tablet, or Xbox console. In 2022, Microsoft announced it was bringing the Xbox app to Samsung’s newer smart TVs and monitors, including the Odyssey Ark. Microsoft also expanded access to its cloud streaming service to VR headsets, teaming up with Meta to allow Quest owners with a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to stream games through their head-mounted displays.
The news of Xbox expanding its app to additional third-party devices comes less than a day after Windows Central spotted a patent for Project Keystone, a canceled piece of Xbox hardware that would have solely played video games on the cloud. Yet, the announcement of newer Fire TV devices getting an Xbox app to play games on Xbox Cloud Gaming is part of Microsoft’s ultimate plan to build a global ecosystem that would allow as many people as possible to enjoy the Xbox experience by providing easy access to cloud gaming through smart TVs and streaming sticks; however, Microsoft has stated that even with this initiative playing on Xbox hardware will remain the definitive experience to playing its games.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.