When Microsoft originally debuted their Project xCloud back in the fall of 2018, it seemed ripe with potential for opening up an entirely new gaming world to mobile device owners. In the time since Microsoft has been building out the feature set while also testing the game streaming service, and at the same time their Game Pass subscription service has been growing in both popularity and quality. Just this week they finally announced a September 15th launch date for xCloud as well as a number of new controller peripherals that are designed for using the service with your mobile device. One of the big negatives surrounding these announcements was that on launch xCloud would only be supported on Android devices, with iOS device support still up in the air. Well according to statements Microsoft has made to The Verge, it looks like they’re giving up on iOS altogether in the face of Apple’s strict App Store restrictions and instead will focus on providing their service to Android users only.
It’s no secret that Apple has some very strict, and sometimes nonsensical, guidelines for what is approved on their App Store. Back in February Microsoft was able to begin an iOS beta test of xCloud using Apple’s Testflight program but were only able to get that beta approved by offering just one game through xCloud, the Master Chief Collection of Halo games. Apple is strict about not letting other gaming storefronts exist in the App Store, and you probably re...