Some Xbox owners can now test cloud gaming on their consoles

Microsoft is preparing to complete a large piece of its cloud gaming puzzle when it brings the option to Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S sometime this holiday season. Starting today, though, a random group of Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha Insiders can try cloud gaming on their consoles. The test will expand to more Insiders and members of other preview rings in the coming weeks.

If you have access, you can try cloud gaming by looking for the cloud icon on titles in the Xbox Game Pass library. To see a full list of games you can stream, go to My Games & Apps, then Full Library and Xbox Game Pass, and change the filter to Cloud Gaming. At the outset, you'll be able to play more than 100 games without having to download them as long as you have a sturdy enough internet connection.

Microsoft highlighted some known issues in a blog post, such as not being able to play base games that are part of a bundle (Halo: The Master Chief Collection, for instance). You also can't make any in-game purchases while playing a cloud gaming title, but you can do so through the Store on your console or the web. Meanwhile, if you have installed a game on an external drive that isn't connected to your Xbox, you won't be able to play it over the cloud. That seems like an annoying bug but hey, that's what beta tests are for.

Don't fret too much if you don't have access just yet. Console cloud gaming should be available for all Game Pass Ultimate subscribers within the next few months, perhaps just in time to play Halo Infinite. Xbox One owners will also be able to play some Series X/S games on their console.