Xbox Insiders Get Early Access to Mouse & Keyboard Support on Xbox Cloud Gaming

Xbox Insiders with the Alpha Skip-Ahead status can now test mouse and keyboard support on Xbox Cloud Gaming, as announced by Microsoft. The support is available in Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome browsers, and the Windows PC Xbox App, though it is a preview feature and may experience issues. Microsoft aims to refine this feature before it's broadly released. Several games are compatible with this new support, with Fortnite specified as a browser-only option. This initiative by Microsoft is part of a slow expansion of Xbox Cloud Gaming, which has been in beta since 2019 and recently added compatibility with Meta Quest VR headsets. As a part of this development, Microsoft listed games that currently support mouse and keyboard input on its cloud gaming service, highlighting any known issues, especially in the transition between gamepad and mouse and keyboard controls.

Games that support mouse and keyboard on Xbox Cloud Gaming include Fortnite (browsers only), ARK: Survival Evolved, Sea of Thieves, Grounded, Halo Infinite, Atomic Heart, Sniper Elite 5, Deep Rock Galactic, High on Life, Zombie Army 4: Dead War, Gears Tactics, Pentiment, Doom 64, and Age of Empires II.

Xbox Cloud Gaming, formerly known as Project xCloud, is a streaming service offered by Microsoft that allows gamers to play Xbox console games on various devices including smartphones, tablets, and PCs without requiring the actual hardware. It operates as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The service officially launched in September 2020 and has been gradually expanding its features, such as the addition of mouse and keyboard support to attract PC gamers and provide more versatility in gameplay options. The streaming service has aimed to improve accessibility and convenience for its subscribers, consistently updating its game library and working on addressing technical issues to enhance the gaming experience.