Microsoft has confirmed that its Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming device, codenamed Keystone, is still in development.
Offering access to Xbox Game Pass through Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft also revealed that it had a dedicated Xbox Streaming Stick on the road back in June. Dubbed the "Keystone," a new report from Windows Central (opens in a new tab) confirms that the device provides a "modernized HDMI streaming device," similar to Chromecast and Google Stadia. However, Microsoft has announced that this particular iteration will not be made public.
In a statement to Windows Central, Microsoft says: "Our vision for Xbox Cloud Gaming is unwavering, our goal is to enable people to play the games they want, on the devices they want, where they want. As announced last year, I have been working on a game streaming stick, codenamed the Keystone, that could connect to any TV or monitor without the need for a console."
Delving deeper, he said: “As part of any technical journey, we constantly evaluate our efforts, review our learnings, and make sure we're delivering value to our customers. We have made the decision to move away from the current iteration of the Keystone device. We will build on our learnings and refocus our efforts on a new approach that will allow us to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to more gamers around the world in the future.
At this point it's unclear what changes Microsoft is planning, but it's clear that it's not quite ready to officially reveal the Xbox Streaming Key just yet. Despite recent inventory improvements, Xbox Series X|S consoles remain hard to find, thanks to a global shortage of chips. So there's the promise of a dedicated streaming device in the meantime.
Microsoft's cloud gaming push pays off
Xbox Cloud Gaming made significant leaps, reaching 10 million subscribers in March. It's an amazing milestone, even if you didn't achieve it entirely on your own. Cloud streaming is only available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the top tier of Microsoft's subscription service. With hundreds of included games also available via cloud streaming, this means gamers don't need to pay for it separately.
As a result, it's succeeding where rivals like Google Stadia and Amazon Luna failed to capture people's attention. Playable on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and mobile platforms, this means existing subscribers can dive into these waters with no additional investment. By extending this to a streaming device, we will see a lot more gamers jump into the cloud.