cloud gaming

Why the Microsoft/Activision deal is a huge win for Mac gamers

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Why the Microsoft/Activision deal is a huge win for Mac gamers
Microsoft promised to allow rival cloud-gaming services access to Activision Blizzard games.
Image: Cult of Mac

Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard will be best thing to happen to Mac gaming in decades. The selection of titles available for Mac (and iPad) will shoot up dramatically because Microsoft has committed to allowing its popular games available on rival cloud gaming services.

Mac gaming has limped along since the 1990s. This deal will be a huge turnaround — if it makes it over all the regulatory hurdles.

Play Fortnite on your iPhone again with Amazon Luna

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Play 'Fortnite' on your iPhone again with Amazon Luna
You can once again fight to the death in Fortnite Battle Royale on an iPhone, no matter what Apple says about it.
Photo: Epic Games/Amazon

Epic Games Fortnite was just added to the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service. That means the very popular game is playable on iPhone and iPad, as well as Mac.

Because of a dispute between Apple and Epic, Fortnite has been banned from the App Store since 2020. But it’s now on Luna.

One year in, Amazon Luna+ cloud gaming is fun but limited [Review]

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Amazon Luna brings console-quality games to iOS and iPadOS.
Amazon Luna+ lets Mac, iPad and iPhone play console games. The technology is brilliant -- game selection is less so.
Image: Amazon

You don’t need a console to play console games. Amazon Luna+ lets Mac, iPad and iPhone play top-quality titles with an external controller.

It’s been exactly a year since the cloud-gaming service launched, so I revisited Luna+ to see how it’s evolved. There’s a lot to like, but some significant limitations too.

Google Stadia shutdown means less console action for Apple gamers

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Google Stadia for iOS is going into public beta testing soon.
RIP Google Stadia: Apple users lose an option to play console games.
Photo: Google/Cult of Mac

Google Stadia cloud gaming service is being shut down. It allowed Mac, iPad and iPhone users to play console-quality games, but its developer admits it never found an audience.

Other cloud-gaming services remain, including Microsoft’s online version of Xbox and Amazon Luna.

This iPhone game controller is designed for Xbox Cloud Gaming [Review] ★★★★

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This iPhone game controller is designed for Xbox Cloud Gaming [Review]★★★★
You're ready to play Xbox Cloud Gaming on your iPhone with the RiotPWR Controller for iOS (Xbox Edition).
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

RiotPWR teamed up with Microsoft on an Xbox-licensed game controller for iPhone. It’s nearly identical to one of Microsoft’s own but the RiotPWR Controller for iOS (Xbox Edition) connects through a Lightning cable and includes a mount to hold your handset. And it comes with a month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to get you started playing console games online.

I’ve enjoyed a couple of weeks of gaming on RiotPWR’s iPhone controller. Here’s why.

Experts say Apple is missing out on the cloud gaming boom

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Nvidia-GeForce-Now-MacBook-Pro
Cloud gaming is taking off in a big way, and Apple isn't part of it.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple is missing out on another major revenue stream by ignoring cloud gaming services, according to market experts.

While rivals like Amazon, Nvidia and Microsoft are reaping the rewards of a gaming industry boom that’s only expected to get bigger, Apple is leaving money on the table. But there is a simple way it could enjoy a piece of the pie.

Facebook’s cloud gaming service finally launches on iPhone

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Facebook’s cloud gaming service finally launches on iPhone and iPad
After over a year of delays, the real Facebook Gaming service is available for iPhone and iPad.
Image: Cult of Mac

Add Facebook to the list of companies offering a gaming service for iPhone. There’s a lengthy list of titles available on day one, including strategy, role playing, trivia and other types of games.

But don’t look for these in the App Store — Apple’s stringent rules on gaming services caused Facebook Gaming to be introduced as a web app instead.

Now anyone can play Xbox games on iPhone and iPad

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Xbox Cloud Gaming for iPad and iPhone
The wait is over. iPad and iPhone users can now enjoy Xbox Cloud Gaming, which includes 100+ console-quality games.
Photo: Microsoft

Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available for any iPhone, iPad or Windows 10 user who wants it. It’s been in invite-only beta testing for months, but now all that’s required is an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to start using the gaming service, which allows users to play 100+ console-quality games.

Xbox cloud gaming for Safari rolls out to everyone soon

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Xbox Cloud Gaming for iPad and iPhone
A public launch is scheduled "in the next few weeks."
Photo: Microsoft

The ability to play Xbox games in Safari on your iPhone and iPad will soon be available to everyone.

Microsoft this week confirmed its new cloud streaming web app, which has been in beta testing since April, will roll out “in the next few weeks.” What’s more, it’s soon going to get even more powerful.

Game on! Microsoft starts Xbox Cloud for iPhone and iPad public testing

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Xbox Cloud Gaming for iPad and iPhone
iPad and iPhone users will soon begin testing Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing them to play 100+ console-quality games.
Photo: Microsoft

Lucky beta testers will get first access to Xbox Cloud Gaming this week. This allows subscribers to play 100+ console-quality games on an iPad or iPhone.

Apple put restrictive rules on cloud-gaming services wanting to appear in the App Store. Microsoft’s solution was to create a web app for its service.

Google Stadia makes iPad gaming competitive with top consoles [Review]

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Google Stadia on iPad review
With Google Stadia, your iPad can run console-quality games.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Google Stadia could be the answer for anyone who wants to play console-quality games on an iPad. There are many big-name titles to choose from, and players can use off-the-shelf game controllers. This is cloud gaming — everything is played online so the service doesn’t take up space on your iPad.

I spent quite a bit of time playing Stadia games on an Apple tablet. Here’s why I recommend it.

iPhone and iPad can finally play Google Stadia games

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Google Stadia for iOS is going into public beta testing soon.
Google bypassed the App Store to make a version of Stadia that’ll run on an iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Google/Cult of Mac

Google followed through with a promise to make its Stadia cloud-gaming service available for iPhone and iPad. On Wednesday, the company starting the process of giving Apple mobile devices access to console-quality games, including Cyberpunk 2077.

But don’t look to the Stadia application in the App Store — the subscription service must be played through a web app.

Google Stadia cloud gaming service coming to iPhone and iPad at last

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Google Stadia for iOS is going into public beta testing soon.
Google bypassed the App Store to make a version of Stadia that’ll run on an iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Google/Cult of Mac

Add Google Stadia to the list of cloud-gaming services that’ll soon be available for iOS and iPadOS. But all the action won’t be in the App Store — iPhone users will access Stadia though a web browser.

This is the same route other online-gaming services are also having to take because of Apple rules restricting cloud gaming.

Nvidia cloud gaming could bring Fortnite back to iPhone

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Epic Games v. Apple gets serious next spring.
Fortnite is back, iPhone users. Well, maybe.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

The latest version of Fortnite could come back to iPhone. But it won‘t be in the App Store. Instead, a version of the Nvidia GeForce Now cloud gaming service is reportedly headed for Apple handsets and tablets, and that’ll bring a huge library of games… including Fortnite.

Microsoft Xbox gaming service coming to iPhone as a web app

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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate supposedly is headed for iPhone, not just Android
iPhone could soon play console-quality titles with Xbox Game Pass, as Androids can already.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is reportedly using a workaround to get Xbox Game Pass on iPhone and iPad. Rather than going into the App Store, this cloud-gaming service will be available as a web application.

This is the same strategy Amazon took to get its own streaming game service on Apple handsets and tablets.

Amazon cloud gaming service heads to Mac and (surprise!) iPhone

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Amazon Luna brings console-quality games to iOS and iPadOS.
Amazon Luna is coming to a variety of devices including, amazingly, iPhone and iPad.
Image: Amazon

Amazon on Thursday unveiled a cloud gaming service that can play console-quality games on mobile devices and a range of other computers. Unlike rival streaming services from Google and Microsoft, Amazon Luna will be available on iPhone and iPad. It’s also coming to Mac.

Cloud gaming service Shadow pulled from App Store after reported Apple guideline infraction

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Shadow cloud gaming service image
Shadow's iOS app has been removed from the Apple App Store for reportedly violating developer guidelines.
Photo: Shadow

Cloud gaming service Shadow announced Wednesday that its iOS app has been removed from Apple’s App store for what that tech-giant called a violation of its developer guidelines. 

In a Reddit post, Shadow would not explain in detail those infringements or say if it even knows at this point what those are. It said it is working to resolve the issues and “bring Shadow back to every one of you mobile users as soon as possible!”