Meta and Microsoft have made good on their promises, bringing Xbox cloud gaming and Game Pass libraries to the Quest platform. With a Game Pass Ultimate subscription and supported gamepads, Quest players can now play a variety of flat games on a huge virtual screen.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming app is now available for Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest Pro. Now, users who subscribe to GamePass Ultimate can log in with Quest and instantly play most of the Game Pass library on a huge virtual screen without the need to install.
It is important to note that players cannot use Quest controllers as they lack some of the buttons that Xbox games require. Players need a supported gamepad, which means that the controller has enough buttons and a way to connect to the Quest.
Luckily, the Xbox Cloud Gaming app supports some of the most popular gamepads, including all Xbox One S and Xbox One X controllers, PS4 and PS5 controllers, and some new-generation Xbox One controllers.
While it's really convenient to have a large virtual screen to play Xbox games with the help of the Quest, we wonder if it's really worth it compared to other alternatives.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is already available on many other devices, including computers, smart TVs, and smartphones. Considering the lower resolution you get on the Quest compared to most modern TVs, the need to wear it on your head, and the 2-3 hours of battery life, it might seem more like a novel use case at first glance.
Still, it's great to have access to a huge library of new games through a headset, even if players may need to purchase a separate gamepad.
Currently, the QuestXbox Cloud Gaming app is a "beta" version, and it's not entirely clear what specific changes will be made in future versions.