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Tech News
Microsoft's new Xbox Nano controller, launching tomorrow, includes an unannounced feature allowing it to pair directly with Xbox Cloud Gaming servers over Wi-Fi via the Xbox mobile app, bypassing a console or PC. The capability is currently being privately tested on Microsoft's new Xbox Cloud Gaming website.
DroidDeck, an Android app offering a SteamOS-like PC gaming experience, released version 0.6.7 on GitHub adding Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming and Battle.net storefront integration. The update also improves sleep-mode battery efficiency, second-screen functionality on dual-screen handhelds, and adds Steam-style brightness/volume controls and quick-access menus.
Microsoft has introduced pay-as-you-go packages for Xbox Cloud Gaming priced at $3.99 for 10 hours, $7.99 for 25 hours, and $11.99 for 50 hours. Beginning in November, Game Pass subscribers will only get 5 to 15 included cloud-streaming hours per month depending on their subscription tier, after which they must purchase additional hours to continue streaming, including games they already own. Microsoft says purchased hours do not expire and remain usable until spent.
Atari announced it will close the official online store for its VCS mini PC in early 2027, ending the ability to download new apps and games through that platform. Previously downloaded software will remain usable, and Atari plans an OS update to remove dependencies on its servers for authentication and software access. The company also plans an Atari Home Brew app to let third-party developers keep adding games after the store closes.
Microsoft has rolled out à la carte Cloud Playtime purchases to Xbox Insiders, charging roughly 24 to 40 cents per hour depending on the package size (10 hours for $4, 25 hours for $8, or 50 hours for $12). Purchased hours don't expire, but using them requires already owning the game or, for some titles, having free-to-play access.
Xbox has begun previewing a pay-per-hour cloud gaming option for members of its Xbox Insider program who don't subscribe to Game Pass. The trial offers blocks of 10 hours for $4, 25 hours for $8, or 50 hours for $12, described as introductory launch pricing. The feature includes an ad-free streaming experience with shorter wait times and playtime that doesn't expire until used.
Microsoft has set introductory pricing for its new pay-as-you-go Xbox Cloud Gaming option, letting players buy cloud hours without an Xbox Game Pass subscription. Xbox Insiders can now purchase bundles of 10 hours for $3.99, 25 hours for $7.99, or 50 hours for $11.99, with unused hours carrying over indefinitely. The feature rolls out more broadly next month and includes ad-free streaming and faster load times.
According to GamesBeat, Rockstar plans to launch Grand Theft Auto VI on PC in the first quarter of 2027, roughly three months after its November 19, 2026 console debut. Rockstar has not officially confirmed a PC version. The report follows Microsoft's announcement that it secured exclusive cloud-streaming rights to the game.
Brazilian developer RafaelNGP, using Claude to help build the project, released a homebrew app called PSBox Cloud Gaming on GitHub that lets Xbox Cloud Gaming run natively on a jailbroken PS5, with up to four DualSense controllers mapped as Xbox controllers. The tool supports 1080p60 streaming upscaled to 4K via the PS5's GPU, and after a Reddit request, Rafael added support for local Xbox Remote Play as well.
Microsoft has reportedly obtained exclusive rights to stream Grand Theft Auto VI via Xbox Cloud Gaming, making it the only cloud service offering the game at launch. The deal coincides with Microsoft's new pay-as-you-go streaming option launching next month and revised streaming-hour limits for Game Pass tiers starting in November, the same month GTA 6 is due out.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told staff at an internal all-hands meeting that Microsoft has struck a deal giving Xbox Cloud Gaming exclusive rights to stream Grand Theft Auto VI when it launches in November. Rockstar has not yet announced a PC release for the game, and the timing coincides with Microsoft's rollout of a pay-as-you-go option for Xbox Cloud Gaming alongside new limits on streaming hours for Game Pass subscribers.
At Meta Connect 2026, Meta detailed its first VR glasses, a 100-gram, tethered headset priced at $1,300 and slated to launch next spring. The device uses a magnesium alloy frame, pancake lenses, a 5K display, full-color passthrough, and runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip housed in a separate puck that also holds battery and storage, offering up to three hours of playback. It launches with 75 games, compatibility with existing Quest titles via Touch Plus controllers, Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming, PC/Mac productivity features, and holographic avatar video calling on apps like WhatsApp and Zoom.