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Xbox Cloud Gaming to add Keyboard and Mouse support

By Shannon Flynn

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 11: A customer plays on an Xbox xCloud device at the Microsoft store opening on July 11, 2019 in London, England. Microsoft opened their first flagship store in Europe this morning, August 11. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 11: A customer plays on an Xbox xCloud device at the Microsoft store opening on July 11, 2019 in London, England. Microsoft opened their first flagship store in Europe this morning, August 11. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images) /
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Xbox gamers are getting some big upgrades on Xbox Cloud Gaming, including expanded mouse and keyboard support as well as major latency improvements. What announcements has Microsoft made on the topic and what does it mean for gamers?

Xbox Cloud Gaming Gets Major Streaming Upgrades

A handful of games on Xbox’s Cloud Gaming service do already have keyboard and mouse support, such as Fortnite and Sea of Thieves. However, Microsoft will be rolling out expanded support that will allow players to use keyboard and mouse on virtually any game in their library while streaming to a variety of devices.

This news comes only weeks after Microsoft announced in early June 2022 that it would be increasing the library of console games that players can stream on the Xbox Cloud Gaming app. That expansion, expected to launch by the end of the year, will include games that are not already part of Microsoft’s Game Pass collection. Now, those games will soon have support for keyboard and mouse controls, which is a game changer for fans of Xbox Cloud Gaming on Windows 10.

Microsoft has good news for developers as well as gamers. Xbox Cloud Gaming is getting a new feature called Direct Capture, which will improve latency on streamed games. Microsoft expects Direct Capture to be able to reduce latency by up to 72ms. This could improve the player experience significantly, especially for those streaming on a variety of devices. Of course, Direct Capture is still being fleshed out. It lacks HDR support and has limited resolution on phones and PCs.

What Xbox Cloud Gaming Mouse and Keyboard Support Means for Gamers

These new upgrades to Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service are good news for gamers. The most obvious benefit is the long-awaited addition of keyboard and mouse controls on streamed games.

Gamers should be aware, though, that Microsoft has not yet announced when keyboard and mouse controls will officially launch on the Cloud Gaming app. There could be a variety of reasons for the delay, though some of it may be due to the widespread staffing shortages many companies are experiencing, even large companies like Microsoft. Luckily, as experts note, a lot of new talent is moving into IT, security, and tech careers, so Microsoft and Xbox game developers should hopefully be able to recover from staffing shortages soon.

While the delay is frustrating, the important thing is that Microsoft has promised the addition of keyboard and mouse control support, so sooner or later it will launch on the Cloud Gaming app. Meanwhile, gamers will be able to access more of their Xbox games on streaming when the library expansion launches, which, as mentioned above, is expected to happen by the end of 2022.

The latency reductions on Cloud Gaming are a big step in the right direction, as well. Low latency is critical for performance, especially in competitive multiplayer titles like Fortnite or Apex Legends. Even more esports titles are coming to Xbox, as well. Riot Games recently announced that some of their biggest titles, including League of Legends and Valorant, will be coming to Xbox Game Pass. Direct Capture may not revolutionize the gaming experience on esports titles, but it will at least ensure a consistent experience across different devices.

Some titles on Xbox Cloud Gaming already support Direct Capture. Once it is more widely supported, it will help maintain peak performance across all the devices that the Cloud Gaming app supports. That’s a big win for gamers.

What About Xbox Cloud Gaming on PC Right Now?

PC gamers have long been waiting for Xbox Cloud Gaming on Windows 10 to finally add universal support for keyboard and mouse controls. While Microsoft hasn’t announced a firm date yet for that support to launch, they are clearly making efforts to improve the Cloud Gaming platform and are encouraging developers to plan for keyboard and mouse control options.

So, it likely won’t be much longer now before the feature is finally released. In the meantime, gamers will be getting an expanded library of games on Xbox Cloud Gaming by the end of the year, plus wider support for Direct Capture’s latency reduction features.

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