Xbox Project xCloud developers discuss latency and local play

Last month, Google finally launched its Stadia platform. Unfortunately, it was affected by several issues that gave users a bad experience. Some of the problems highlighted were the graphics, small game library, supported devices, and a whole lot more. Perhaps the greatest concern was lag, which is to be expected, given the varying quality of internet connections. Now, attention falls on Microsoft and its Project xCloud cloud gaming service, which is currently in its beta phases. However, unlike the internet search company, the developers are not making bold claims related to latency.

Prior to the launch of Stadia, its engineers announced that it had a system in place that will address lag. The team even coined the term "negative latency" to promote the service. An explanation offered by the developers noted that its servers will anticipate all the possible actions available for the player. The data centres will then buffer these as pre-rendered visuals and display the appropriate one that matches the input from the user.

Given the unfavourable feedback from its Stadia users, consumers are worried about how Project xCloud would fare later on. As with any other game streaming service, the biggest obstacle will be latency. However, Microsoft's new platform is working on multiple solutions that might make the overall experience enjoyable for gamers. At the heart of the operation are the company's Azure data centres. One approach being considered is adjusting the technological requirements for more seamless gameplay.

Currently, the developers are working to set the minimum internet speed to at least 10 Mbps. The existing technology is not yet capable of delivering lag-free gaming over the internet, as noted by Game Informer. "What we've found is that consistency of latency is actually much more important than the absence of latency," stated by Project xCloud corporate vice president Kareem Choudhry, He then pointed out the current build of the service can even support games such as "Tekken 7" and "Killer Instinct," which are "very sensitive to latency."

Overall, the Project xCloud team acknowledges the limits imposed by the internet as it is right now. As such, the best experience for any game from Microsoft's library is still directly on the console.