Google finally and officially presented its new Google Chromecast , a device that we can confirm will be a super sales again. Although one of its best virtues will not be available at the moment. Still, here you have one of the cheapest devices that will allow you to access Google Stadia and Microsoft‘s xCloud.
Google’s new “console”
Streaming gaming has allowed many devices to become true video game consoles overnight. They only need to meet certain technical requirements, have an internet connection and the corresponding applications that give access to services such as Google or Microsoft.
In that sense, the new Google Chromecast already presented by the company is one of them. A product that is not only super interesting for reasons of price and possibilities in everything related to the reproduction of multimedia content, also because of the ability to access two of the most important gaming services via streaming: Stadia and xCloud .
Even so, currently you should know that after officially launching the Google Chromecast of 2020 it is not compatible with both. Or rather not said, it is not officially supported at the moment . Google Stadia will arrive during the first half of 2021 and xCloud is unofficially. There are users who have already verified that they can access the Microsoft games service. Take Chris Welch from The Verge, for example.
Here’s a short latency test from Gears 5. 400Mbps Wi-Fi. TV in game mode. pic.twitter.com/4Z310VN8Rf
– Chris Welch (@chriswelch) October 1, 2020
Why are there no official Stadia and xCloud apps
If you are wondering why there are no official apps for Stadia and xCloud , the answer is not official but everything seems to point to a simple optimization question. That is why Google itself has said that it will come later and it is likely that Microsoft will also do the same.
However, if you want to install xCloud on the Google Chromecast of 2020 , all you have to do is enable the installation of APKs external to the store. Something that surely you already know how to do it and if not, we will tell you. Because in the end, despite the name change to Google TV, the operating system of the new Chromecast is still based on Android.
What’s more, we could say that Google TV is like a layer or the company’s services that it adds to the open source operating system that is Android and that, for example, other companies like Amazon modify to create their own versions like Fire TV OS.
So, if you want to try xCloud already in the new Google Chromecast, you just have to download the xCloud APK from apkmirror. Next, download and install the Send files to TV application to be able to send that file to your new Chromecast with Google TV. Once done, install as you normally would on any television with Android TV.
From now on you can log in with your user account and access the offer of titles that you can enjoy with Xbox Game Pass. Of course, being a beta, the experience is not optimized one hundred percent and the resolution is limited to 720p.
The economic option to access the game in streaming
With these options that break through before us, the Google Chromecast becomes one of the cheapest devices that you can buy to play via streaming. The only thing you will need extra will be a gamepad with a Bluetooth connection like the Xbox or PS4.
So, if you had considered the option of acquiring an Xbox Series S and then accessing the Xbox Game Pass catalog, you should still think about how much the other options or their greater technical capabilities will compensate you. If it is for casual games, it is to consider it well.