Xbox Cloud Gaming, has been around since November 2019 and it is available as a part of Xbox Ultimate Game Pass.
Back in November of 2024, we reported on Xbox users being able to play games they own via cloud. As of this week, you can even purchase games through the xbox mobile app.
The technology has been there, but as to if it’s a good viable way to play your games, has been the real question. Based off of Xbox’s most recent quarterly reports, more and more people are streaming their games more than ever.
With console and hardware prices going up, a budget way to game is becoming more and more of a concern as we look to the future. Can the Xbox Cloud Gaming really substitute for for the lack of owning a console?
Gamer Social Club is a very unique outlet for the simple fact that many contributing members are located all around the world. So I asked for their input and some of our audiences help on reviewing the state of Xbox Cloud Gaming in 2025.
Resident Editor Mark – WeAwokenTheHive
Location: UK
Cell phone provider: Lebara (uses Vodafone’s network)
Home Wifi Speeds: (SHIT!) – 56mbps
Devices used: Xbox console / iPhone 13 / low spec laptop
Thoughts on performance: Xbox streaming, even on slightly dated devices and low internet speeds works well. I have also tried Xbox streaming on my works internet which is greatly quicker than my home connection and the performance is not very different at all. Connecting to a variety of games is efficient and the lack of a need to install updates is a great advantage. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to be playing high-speed games such as Call of Duty on a competitive level with Xbox Cloud Streaming, but for smaller and slower titles it works very well.
Overall thoughts: Xbox Cloud Streaming has come on a long way since its inception several years ago, to the "˜This is an Xbox' mass market message of today. The speeds in which games run is better, the UI and integration of normal Xbox features including the guide and friends interaction is very strong. Cloud gaming will never be a primary option for me as I prefer to play any game I can natively, so cloud gaming will always be supplementary. However, in this supplementary form, it does add a lot of value to the Xbox ecosystem for me and other players, particularly those who subscribe to Xbox Game Pass. The one issue that I will forever have, is the inability to stream physical games that I have paid the same (or often more) amount of money than those who buy digitally.
Lead Review Editor – Lady V
Location: UK
Cell phone provider: O2 (I don’t generally use on 5G, usually pub WiFi)
Home Wifi Speeds: 900 mb/s (I do not use at home)
Devices used: Pixel 8
Thoughts on performance: Performance is good. Sometimes get some lag if the WiFi is choppy but generally pretty pleased.
Overall thoughts: I usually play slower paced games like Slay the Spire or Balatro using xcloud, which I think works well given the WiFi I play on isn’t amazing. I have successfully used it over the years to play Halo in the office and even multiplayer Killer Instinct in a bar once. It’s a good service, and I think it adds a lot of value to game pass.
Resident Editor and Youtuber Fraser aka Fbombe
Location: Australia
Cell phone provider: Telstra Home
Wifi Speeds: 815mbps
Devices used: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Thoughts on performance: When I am connected to my home network I have zero problems with performance. In saying that, I sometimes have issues when I’m trying to connect back into a game. If you leave it idle you are disconnected. If I try to reconnect it will often tell me I have been disconnected again. Not really a big deal though.
Overall thoughts: I use cloud gaming and a backbone for roughly 2 hours a day on my travel to work. There are a few frame drops and lag every now and again. I’m never playing any crazy pvp so it’s never really a problem.
Community member and Youtuber 13Carrey1
Location: Germany
Home Wifi Speeds: Download 100 MBPS/40MBPS Upload
Devices used: Xbox Series X
Thoughts on performance: It was ok, but later the Cloud Sessions was ended for whatever reason (tested the Flight Sim 2024). Also, had Performance issues. The Game was laggy sometimes.
Overall thoughts: Cloud Gaming is nice if you want to test out a Game but I prefer to own a Game (even it is the license) and install it to the Console or the PC. If you would use cloud only, the Internet has to grow so much more and you have to make sure, that the Internet always work! Since you pay for your Internet, you have to look at the Finance Situation as well. If you couldn’t do that for whatever reason, I think you can be happy to have the option if you have a device where you can play games offline.
Geoff from the Interactive Distractions Podcast
Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada
Home Wifi Speeds: Fiber Stream 247 down and 108 up
Devices used: XB series S and Samsung TV(XB App)
Thoughts on performance: Performance is good for the most part. I will get hitching here and there but nothing crazy. Every once in a while I'll get some artifacting especially on the black levels.
Overall thoughts: My overall thoughts are it's good when in a pinch and want to kill some time and I can't play on a native console. Input lag seems to vary depending on game and because of this I won't try to play any game that require twitch like inputs like first person shooter or fighting games. It's def improved a lot since it was first released but it has some work to do. I've also used Nvidia Gforce Now and it's on another level in all areas at the moment
Editor and Media Producer Nathan (myself) aka ONEHOTDRAGON
Location: US, East Coast
Cell phone provider: Spectrum
Home Wifi Speeds: 700mbps
Devices used: laptop, samsung S21+ phone, and Xbox Series X/S
Thoughts on performance: Streaming AC: Shadows on my laptop using home wifi ran at 30fps at 1080p. While visually it was nothing to write home about, it worked great. I’ve tested the same game on my phone service and given the screen size, it looked so much better. I visited a friend’s house and streamed it to their Series X and it looked even better than my laptop. While every option has slight latency issues every so often, ultimately, there was never enough major lag that caused me to put the game down. When there is lag, there is a small buffer to the graphics instead of effecting gameplay.
Overall thoughts: Being able to play my owned games like Space Marine 2 and Assassins Creed Shadows adds so much value for me. It has enabled me to continue playing from any and everywhere at no additional cost (Since I already pay for game pass). Being able to not have to download a game to test it out or quickly access it at a friend’s house is a huge perk.
I’ve put a lot of time in to it over the past couple of months since my Xbox is getting repaired. I’ve personally tested cloud on every device I have access to and can safely say it is a very reliable way to play my games.
The Overall Consensus in May, 2025
Is it good enough to replace my Xbox? No, but it is an amazing extension of it and a reliable to for when your Xbox is not around. As time goes on, with latency improvements paired with better image quality, I think it could be a better option vs hardware.
The general consensus is that we all feel it adds value to our library and Xbox Game Pass subscription. While some feel Nvidia GeForce Now does it better, Xbox Cloud Gaming is included with your Game Pass Subscription. So take that in to account when shopping for Cloud Services.
As Jez Corden points out on X, Game Pass Ultimate is also accessible through Nvidia GeForce Now’s subscription. He used that to combat his latency issues. So combining both services to take advantage of Nvidia GeForce Now’s performance and Xbox Game Pass’s library access is a great option as well for those who could see themselves using cloud gaming a lot.
Do you see cloud gaming taking off in the future or is the future now? Share your thoughts with us on Social Media!
