MICROSOFT 'S LOW-COST XBOX

It has been suggested for years that Microsoft wants to make gaming accessible to more people; by cutting out the need to invest in a pricey console. The Xbox Cloud Gaming platform, which works on many devices including iPhone and iPad; is the company’s software-based answer to that challenge, but it appears Microsoft isn’t stopping there.

Speaking to Windows Central, Microsoft revealed it is actively working on new Xbox hardware. Codenamed “Keystone,” the streaming device sounds similar to Chromecast and Google Stadia; in that it will connect to any TV or monitor via HDMI; allowing users to tap into Microsoft’s vast games catalog, as well as any other streaming content it chooses to host.

The company didn’t provide any more details about the dongle or a potential launch date; but said that it had recently decided to “pivot away” from its original vision for the device; which would allow it to “deliver Xbox Cloud Gaming to more players around the world in the future.”

Details about this device are currently unclear; but a Microsoft spokesperson revealed that the company’s gaming division is committed to making the Xbox experience even more accessible; through a new “low-cost hardware”. According to the spokesperson; “Keystone” can be connected to any television or monitor, so users can play games over streaming without a console.

There’s no word on when the new Xbox device will be available on the market; but Windows Central says that it has been in development for a few years; and it should still be a couple more months before its official announcement.

The best part of Xbox Cloud Gaming is that it offers true console games; including popular franchises such as Battlefield, Cities Skyline, DiRT, Fallout, Forza; Fortnite, Halo, and Need for Speed, The Sims, and Flight Simulator.

The report also predicts that Microsoft will offer media streaming apps on its new device, so it will also function as a regular set-top box for movies, TV shows, and songs.

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