Bye bye Xbox? Microsoft will probably bring Game Pass directly to smart TVs next year

If the Game Pass comes “natively” for Smart TVs, you will only need a controller for it in the future.

The two words “Play Anywhere” have been anchored in the Microsoft and Xbox cosmos for years. Just last week, Microsoft backed that statement and brought Fortnite to its cloud streaming platform as the first Free2Play game. An Xbox console is no longer necessary for this, just a Microsoft account and a mobile device.

Two solutions for Smart TVs

And it looks like this development will continue at a rapid pace in the next year. Because one Venturebeat report According to Microsoft, it is already working on a Game Pass solution for smart TVs, which is scheduled to be launched in 2023. Specifically, there are even two solutions:

1. streaming box: A small device similar to a Fire TV Stick or Apple TV that connects to the smart TV via an HDMI port and then offers Game Pass games via streaming.
2. Smart TV app: There should also be a native app on Samsung TVs that can be started directly in the user interface of the respective TV model and then also allows Game Pass titles to be played.

There are no further details yet, but it is extremely likely that there is something to these rumors. Microsoft had already confirmed the Game Pass in the form of Xbox Experiences and Platforms Boss Liz Hamren last summer to want to offer on other hardware categories and platforms. One is already in talks with other manufacturers, not everything will be developed by Microsoft itself, according to Liz Hamren.

More on Xbox Game Pass/Streaming:

Mobile devices or smart TVs will probably be sufficient for Game Pass in the future

A streaming box seems to be part of the planned portfolio and that would be a noticeable step away from the classic Xbox hardware. An old-school console would then no longer be required, at least for using the Game Pass. The TV, the streaming solution and a controller would do the trick, serving a market well beyond the core console market.

Of course, such a solution would not mean saying goodbye to Xbox consoles like the Series X/S in the near future, and the brand itself remains representative of Microsoft’s gaming activities. But it could be a significant boost for “Play Anywhere” – and once again underline Microsoft’s ambitions in this area.

Would you try such a Game Pass streaming app on your Smart TV?