Microsoft Project xCloud iOS testing starts with 'Halo: The Master Chief Collection'

Project xCloud is Microsoft's Xbox cloud gaming service, which enables users to play Xbox games on their smartphones. The games are streamed from Microsoft's Azure cloud computing centers. The service has been available for public testing on Android since late 2019, where it hosts 50 games for testers to try out.

Microsoft's Major Nelson announced that the service is coming to iOS and that Microsoft has begun opening up an iOS TestFlight for the service, where players will be able to try out Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Currently, the TestFlight is only open to those who live in the US, UK, and Canada right now. Additionally, unlike the Xbox Game Streaming app on Android, the iOS TestFlight is for Project xCloud only and doesn't contain Xbox Console Streaming.

The test is extremely limited in scope, as well. Only 10,000 testers will be invited into the first round of testing. Invitations are sent out on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants may also be cycled out of the program, so Microsoft suggests that even if the queue is currently full, aspiring testers should apply for later rounds.

In order to apply for testing, participants must meet the following requirements:

• An active Microsoft account linked with your Xbox gamertag
• An iPhone or iPad running iOS 13
• Bluetooth version 4.0
• A Bluetooth-enabled Xbox One Wireless Controller
• Wi-Fi or mobile data that supports 10Mbps-down bandwidth

Users can head to the Project xCloud registration site, where they can sign up for the TestFlight.

Currently, little is known about Project xCloud's pricing or official launch date. This time around, Microsoft has made it clear that they are looking for enthusiastic testers to help bring the service to the iPhone and iPad.