Xbox Game Pass edges closer to proper Android TV and Google TV support

Microsoft is well aware that people like me don’t own an Xbox. It’s not doing too hot in the hardware race against Sony this generation or last, and instead of banking directly on hardware sales as it traditionally would, the company has put all of its weight into selling its gaming platform as a service that can be accessed virtually anywhere. While Sony still believes in console generations and struggles to make anything of the prime and early opportunity it had with Playstation Now, its competitors are all setting up their infrastructure for cloud gaming in more meaningful ways.

Xbox is doing such a good job with its new strategy that I’ve even bought into Game Pass, its digital subscription service – yes, a hardcore Playstation fanboy who’s never touched an Xbox is playing Xbox games wherever he can. With all of that said, you’ve been able to sideload the Game Pass app on your Chromecast with Google TV or Android TV device for some time now, albeit with questionable performance. Now, an official Android TV port of the app is appearing for some users, according to 9to5Google who dropped the image below earlier today.

According to the team, the performance on the new app remains lackluster, but the fact that this even exists is both a step in the right direction and an exciting prospect for cloud gamers! Apparently, the performance is so bad out the gate that it froze the moment it was opened, though I can’t test this at this time as the app is still unavailable on my devices. The idea of having Steam Link, Stadia, Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, and more directly on my television is a testament to the incredible opportunities gamers have in the 21st century.

Cloud gaming offers console-quality titles with no care about the device’s internal storage or specs. I’m interested in seeing how quickly Microsoft improves this new app and I can’t wait to have it accessible on the largest screen in my home – no Xbox needed. Just because I grew up with a bias on which platform I gravitated toward thanks to the experiences I had, doesn’t mean I have to stay there, but I do have a Playstation 5 now, so Game Pass on my TV allows me to be a true gamer and tear down the boundaries I built as a child. Are you excited about this, or are you sticking with other cloud gaming services?