It's a small revolution for the video game industry.
Starting June 30, Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service will be accessible directly from Samsung's newest smart TVs (2022 models).
The app will be in the “Samsung Gaming Hub” tab.
In concrete terms, owners of these televisions will be able to play the latest Microsoft blockbusters (
Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, Flight Simulator,
etc.) as well as around a hundred recent video games without having to buy an Xbox console.
This represents a saving of several hundred euros.
Instead, they will need to purchase a subscription.
The latter is 12.99 euros per month, with a promotion of 1 euro for the first 3 months for this launch.
Read alsoMicrosoft buys video game publisher Activision (
Call of Duty, Candy Crush
) for 69 billion dollars
Microsoft's offer is based on “cloud gaming” technology, that is to say streaming applied to video games.
To make the most of this service, it is best to subscribe to fiber.
Samsung TV owners will also be able to play the
Fortnite
game without having to subscribe to a subscription.
To enjoy Game Pass games, a wireless controller is essential.
It may be Xbox branded, but not only: Sony PlayStation 4 or 5 controllers are also compatible.
All wireless headphones will also work.
Remove the obligation to purchase a console
The deployment of Game Pass on Samsung televisions illustrates Microsoft's long-term strategy.
He chose a strong partner for the launch, one out of three televisions sold in the world is a Samsung and the Korean market share exceeds 40% in some countries.
The American group is betting on the rise of cloud gaming to expand its consumer base.
In particular, he has his sights set on the countries of the South, such as India or Latin America, fond of video games but where the acquisition of expensive consoles is unthinkable in many homes.
Offering console-quality games directly on a connected television, but also on a smartphone or an entry-level PC, would remove this major obstacle.
However, Microsoft's strategy is dependent on the deployment of fiber and 5G networks in these territories.
Its cloud service is now available in 19 countries, including France.
The American giant is forging partnerships with other manufacturers of connected televisions.
Its Game Pass service, also available on Xbox console, PC and smartphone, currently has 25 million subscribers.
Soon demos of games in development on the Game Pass
Microsoft has announced that its Game Pass subscription will be enriched in 2023 with demonstration versions (“demos”) of games under development.
The group explains that it wants to replicate the experience of video game fairs where the public can try titles for about ten minutes that will not be released for several months.
The studios will be paid for creating these demos and will obtain usage data.
In addition, subscribers will be able by the end of the year to play streaming video games that they have purchased and which are not part of the Game Pass catalog.
This will allow you to continue your game on the move.
