Xbox "Keystone" streaming device: What is known so far

America

9 Aug, 2022

Xbox "Keystone" streaming device: What is known so far

Recently, speculations regarding a new Xbox codenamed "Keystone" started to circulate, and we later exclusively revealed what it is.

A new Xbox system that is still under development called Keystone prioritizes cloud and streaming services above native games and potent local hardware. Players will be able to access and play Xbox games online on a box that will be substantially less expensive than either the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, or a similar gaming PC or laptop, using the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud subscription service.

Microsoft's upcoming Xbox console, codenamed Keystone, is expected to be a Series X or Series S companion. Keystone is the smallest Xbox console ever and will be far smaller than even the Xbox Series S since it will just use streaming technology rather than local computer hardware.

According to what we know, Keystone will utilize the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud gaming service to operate all of its titles. Xbox cloud streams are beginning to seem almost native on a good network setting as Microsoft ramps up and develops the service, while results may vary depending on your location and the caliber of your home network. On my personal home network, the most recent releases of the Xbox Game Pass cloud have almost removed latency concerns and artifacts. It follows that when Keystone launches, it will be even more potent and successful at providing remote gaming streams.

SIZE, SPECS, AND FEATURES

Keystone will be the smallest Xbox system available and focus on streaming. The current version of Keystone, according to a recent statement from Microsoft, is being shelved. Instead, the company is working on a new version, concentrating on developing the OS and other crucial features that it believes are required to compete with products like the Stadia Pro Chromecast bundle.

We know that Keystone will run the cloud of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as its main gaming platform, but we also know that Microsoft intends to feature a collection of standard video streaming applications like Netflix, Disney+, and others. To guess, considering that Microsoft only has permission to offer this material on Windows-based devices, ideally, we could even see Microsoft Movies & TV services on the box, given that this device will likely be Windows-based in some form.

You must anticipate that it will feature standard connectivity for things like USB for headphones and controllers, coupled with Ethernet for the additional boost to connectivity, in terms of ports and connectivity. Though Microsoft has previously targeted the more prevalent Wi-Fi 5 standard with its existing consoles, I would anticipate that it will also be future-proofed with Wi-Fi 6 capabilities. Although more and more devices are acquiring this functionality over time, Wi-Fi 6 may increase the cost. Keystone might not even need to provide a consistent 1080p experience given the audience it is most likely aiming for.

In fact, a lot of what is expected of Keystone depends on how the cloud infrastructure for Xbox Game Pass is when it launches. Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming's maximum resolutions for PC and mobile devices are 1080p at 60 frames per second. You'd have to wonder if Microsoft would eventually aim for 4K 60 FPS broadcasts on a device that was cloud-first, given that several of its rivals are now aiming for that. Time will only tell.

WHAT GAMES WILL IT HAVE?

We already know that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be the primary source of power for Xbox Keystone, providing access to all of Xbox Game Pass's titles. This includes hundreds of AAA-caliber games to smaller, enjoyable indie releases, with the promise of all Xbox exclusives from Microsoft, Bethesda, and EA Play, in addition to any future exclusives from Activision Blizzard and Microsoft. The potential for the service to also includes the full-fledged Xbox shop makes the situation much more intriguing.

Game licensing is a complicated process. Given that the Xbox Keystone will technically be an Xbox console, there's a good chance that Microsoft will be able to let you buy any digital game from the Xbox store and set it up for streaming on the device, letting you buy and play games free of Xbox Game Pass's restrictions. Xbox Cloud Gaming itself requires a membership due to its server and bandwidth charges, although Keystone may have access to a greater library than the cloud library on phones and PCs. However, as of this writing, this is only conjecture.

I've heard that Microsoft intends to ultimately make all digital games you possess available through Xbox Cloud Gaming, although this may be complicated by legal constraints on the Google Play Store and platform owners' concerns about royalties. We'll have to wait and see whether this is the way Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming generally operates by the time Keystone debuts.

In either case, Keystone will have a huge selection of titles, with more coming in and out of the service over time. Xbox first-party exclusives will also always be accessible. Microsoft may at least create a distinct library of material with its partners that provide gamers buying alternatives outside of the Game Pass library, even if they are unable to make the whole Xbox console library on there accessible for purchase.

WHAT WILL THE COST BE?

The Google Stadia Premiere Edition Chromecast bundle, which contains an HDMI device for your TV, a month of Stadia Pro, and a controller, is likely to be Keystone's main competitor in terms of pricing. Together with the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud subscription, which costs $15 per month, that would put the price at roughly USD 99 or £99 GBP.

While Stadia Pro is less expensive than Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, it does not provide the same selection of top-notch games and requires customers to purchase individual games directly for anywhere between $20 and $60 each. By the time Keystone itself releases, Microsoft could look at providing a less expensive Xbox Game Pass membership service, something I've already recommended they should do.

Naturally, Keystone will only be accessible in regions where Xbox Cloud Gaming services are currently active, which include Australia, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. However, by the time it launches, more nations could be accessible.

WHAT DATE WILL IT DEBUT?

In fact, Microsoft informed us that the initial version of Keystone has been shelved since the company decided to create a more sophisticated version before releasing it to the public. Keystone is reportedly ready to use and functional in its current state, but Microsoft wanted to include a few more undiscovered features and capabilities before releasing it. This is just conjecture as of the time of writing, but I assume it has something to do with media app compatibility and potentially broader support for digital purchases of games that aren't on Xbox Game Pass itself.

Originally scheduled to debut in 2022, Keystone may now instead be released in 2023 as Microsoft continues to develop and enhance its feature set. Although Microsoft may have abandoned this iteration of Keystone, it still intends to release a streaming home console.