What a time to be alive! Xbox Cloud Gaming is the new hot thing in town. Microsoft has been offering the cloud game streaming service as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate since 2020.
Subscribers had access to a suite of games included with the service as long as their membership was active. But that changes today, as a completely free experience is now available to everyone to indulge in and try the service.
Fortnite, the blockbuster sensation, is now free on Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Microsoft just announced a new partnership with Epic Games, which will bring the popular game to supported browser-enable devices for free in 26 countries. This is the first free-to-play game on the platform.
That means anyone on the PC or owning mobile devices powered by Android, iOS, and iPadOS gets in. As long as they have an internet connection, they can now use Xbox Cloud Gaming to play Fortnite without signing up for a Game Pass subscription.
They will not need to install anything — a Microsoft account will suffice.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming version of Fortnite can be played using a compatible controller or native touch controls when using mobile devices.
Not only does this new arrival benefit gamers who might not have been able to play on lower-end devices, but it also marks the title’s return to iOS and Android platforms after Epic got tangled in a battle with Apple and Google over app store fees.
You can give it a try here.
This is only the start of free additions to Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft is in the process of forming a free-to-play catalog for the service going forward, with titles that can be played without the need for the $14.99 a month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Good times ahead!