Xbox’s April Update Simplifies Game Purchases and Enhances Console Streaming

Microsoft has announced the details of Xbox’s upcoming April update, and it’s a big one, with new features planned across console, streaming, Game Pass, and the mobile app. Here’s a rundown of everything you can expect.

Xbox App Updates

Starting with the Xbox app for mobile, the April update introduces the ability to buy games and DLC, as well as join Game Pass and redeem perks. Players can even set a purchased game to pre-install on their Xbox console from wherever they are. The aim here, it seems, is to help people buy games faster and more easily, as Microsoft said it will require just two clicks to buy games and DLC from the app.

This update is rolling out soon across iOS and Android.

Stream Your Own Game On Console

Beginning today, April 16, Game Pass Ultimate members can stream “select” games they already own (in addition to supported Game Pass titles) on their Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One console. The appeal here is helping users save space on their hard drive and to get into games faster. It’s also a nice perk for Xbox One owners, as they are now able to stream the newest Xbox Series X|S-exclusive titles on their older machine because the game is streaming, not played locally. Of course, cloud-streaming requires a strong and reliable connection for the best results.

To access the “Stream Your Own Game” feature, users can navigate to: My games & apps > Full library > Owned Games. From there, games that are playable over the cloud will feature a “cloud badge” on the game page. Members can also filter their librates by selecting Choose Filter > Ready to play > Cloud gaming. If you’re buying a new game, you can start streaming it directly from the Xbox Store app if it’s a supported title.

There are more than 100 supported titles in this program so far, with more coming soon–you can see the full list of supported titles here.

Remote Play And Other New Features In The Xbox April Update

Beyond the new features mentioned above, the April Xbox update allows people to play any game installed on their console via the Xbox Remote Play website on any device with a supported web browser.

Microsoft said the goal here in unifying Xbox Remote Play and Xbox Cloud Gaming on Xbox.com is to “support more devices, open access to the store on the Xbox app on mobile, and make it easier for our teams to optimize the streaming experience and build new features going forward.”

Microsoft added that support for select Samsung Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV devices, and Meta Quest headsets is coming soon. What’s more, beginning this month, select original Xbox and Xbox 360 backwards compatible titles will be available to stream via Remote Play.

Also in the April update is a new way to free up storage on your Xbox console. The “Free up space” page will now recommend things like duplicate copies of games and games that players no longer have access to for whatever reason.

Additionally, the game hub pages have been given a refresh, while a South of Midnight dynamic background for Xbox Series X|S is now available following the game’s launch on April 8.