Microsoft aims to enable TV sets to serve as Game Pass and Cloud Gaming platforms.
If the company wants to achieve this, it’ll need to improve bitrate.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is one of the most popular cloud gaming services. Its significance was evident when Sony, owner of rival PlayStation, showed concerns after Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard in 2022. Sony thought the video game company would stop making multiplatform games as a result of the acquisition.
However, despite its popularity, Xbox Cloud Gaming doesn’t provide the best experience in terms of graphics quality and latency. Microsoft is actively working on enhancements, particularly because it aims to make Game Pass accessible everywhere.
What’s behind Xbox Cloud Gaming? Some say that playing in the cloud means playing on someone else’s computer, and this is somewhat accurate. When you play in the cloud, your commands are executed on remote servers, which then relay the generated images back to you in real time.
According to Abereham Wodajie and Chris Voss, software development engineers at Xbox Cloud Gaming, the service operates through over 26 Kubernetes clusters that are secured with service mesh Linkerd and located across various Azure regions. Each cluster consists of more than 50 microservices and between 700 and 1,000 pods. As of 2022, there were 22,000 pods equipped with custom Xbox Series X hardware. The number is expected to have increased since then.
Bitrate. A main issue with Xbox Cloud Gaming is that it’s limited to Full HD resolution and operates with a bitrate of between 10 and 15 Mbps. This bitrate is sufficient for playing on a laptop, phone, and standard PC. However, when considering gaming on a larger screen, such as a 4K TV, the experience can suffer greatly.
Playing Full HD content with a low bitrate on a 4K TV can result in a poor visual experience. Anyone who has watched a movie in Full HD on a streaming platform with a low bitrate or faced connection issues has likely encountered this frustrating situation.
What is bitrate? To clarify, bitrate refers to the flow of data or the amount of information your device receives or streams per second. In terms of video, a higher bitrate typically indicates better visual quality, though it’s not the only factor. For instance, the black areas appear rich and detailed when watching a film with very dark scenes at a high bitrate. Conversely, a low bitrate can result in noticeable pixelation and artifacts, particularly in the gray areas.
The same principle applies to music. In general, a song encoded at 320 Kbps has more information (and, therefore, better quality and detail) compared to one at 128 Kbps. However, other factors, such as the compression algorithm used, also play a significant role. In any case, a higher bitrate generally equates to better quality.
The importance of continuous improvement. Microsoft sources told The Verge that the company is working on enhancing the bitrate for Xbox Cloud Gaming. This improvement will enable Microsoft to provide much-needed higher graphic quality in its streamed games. While Xbox Cloud Gaming is an appealing service, it currently doesn’t offer the best visual quality or capabilities compared to its competitors.
Nvidia is significantly ahead of its competitors, particularly with its GeForce Now service, which stands out as the best cloud gaming option in terms of visuals. It supports 4K resolution, offers refresh rates of up to 120 fps, and has a maximum bitrate of 75 Mbps. The hardware powering this service is also considerably more advanced, utilizing RTX 4080 servers, which is evident in its performance. However, this level of quality comes with a higher price. GeForce Now Ultimate is, indeed, quite expensive.
Microsoft has a plan. As part of its strategy to make Game Pass accessible across various platforms, Microsoft is looking to enhance Xbox Cloud Gaming. Gamers can enjoy Game Pass on consoles, PCs, phones, tablets, and laptops. Additionally, the company has introduced an app for Fire TV Sticks and Meta Quest devices. The goal is to transform any TV into a cloud gaming console, which needs improved graphic quality.
It’s not just about playing; it’s about playing properly. While Full HD resolution has been enough until now, it’s starting to fall short. Despite being the most common resolution for phones, 4K has become almost standard for televisions. According to a Steam hardware survey, Full HD remains the most widely used resolution for PC monitors, accounting for 55.73% of users. However, 2K has seen significant growth and is now the second most popular resolution at 21.73%, followed by 4K, which has a modest share of 3.68%.
The concept is straightforward: Improving the bitrate is essential if the goal is to elevate Game Pass on larger screens and position it as a viable alternative to services like GeForce Now and Amazon Luna. The ball’s in Microsoft’s court now. For many, cloud gaming represents the industry’s future, and it’s crucial to be prepared for that moment, even though numerous aspects still require refinement.
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