Xbox wants game streaming to be as simple as watching Netflix

Xbox‘s principal product manager Harrison Hoffman has said that streaming games on a TV should be just as easy as watching a Netflix film.

During a discussion with GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom 2022 yesterday (August 24), Hoffman spoke about Xbox’s recent partnership with Samsung which will bring Xbox Game Pass to its Smart TVs without the need for a console.

The product manager explained that while bringing Microsoft‘s games to mobile devices is still a focal point for the company, putting emphasis on the fact that cloud gaming is “a core part of our long-term gaming strategy,” TV is just as important.

“Different people have different types of behaviour, certain games lend themselves to quick gaming sessions or gaming on a smaller screen,” Hoffman explained.

“But one of the reasons I’m particularly excited about the TV app is that our games really shine on the big screen, they’re made for the big screen, so this seems like such a logical next step for us.”

Hoffman added that he thinks streaming and playing games through a TV should be just as simple as watching a film through a streaming service.

“People have really gotten used to streaming their movies and TV through the Netflix app or Disney+ app. We want to make it as easy for people to stream a game as it is to stream a movie from Netflix. It should be that same simplicity – that’s what it’s going to take to get this into the mainstream.”

Back in June, Ashley McKissick, corporate vice president for gaming experiences and platforms, said that the partnership with Samsung Smart TVs is  just the start and that Microsoft intends to “explore other TV partnerships as part of this next evolution in our vision.”

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