Game streaming has come on leaps and bounds over the past decade and is now a more-than viable way to play some of the latest and greatest games -- in many ways it's far more affordable than building or buying a gaming PC with how graphics cards prices have been. So perhaps it's no surprise that Microsoft is now rumored to be throwing its hat further into the ring with an expansion of its Game Pass system through a USB dongle.
It would work similar to a Chromecast, Fire Stick, or Roku, where you plug it into an available HDMI port on any compatible display, connect it to the internet, and you'll have access to a wide range of content, but with this that includes the Game Pass Xbox streaming service. With a single stick, you could enjoy the huge range of streamed Xbox and PC games, with the potential for compatibility with wireless Xbox controls making it super simple to get up and running.
Microsoft hasn't confirmed or denied these rumors, but said in a chat with Windows Central:
"Our vision for Xbox Cloud Gaming is unwavering, our goal is to enable people to play the games they want, on the devices they want, anywhere they want. As announced last year, we’ve been working on a game-streaming device, codename Keystone, that could be connected to any TV or monitor without the need for a console. As part of any technical journey, we are constantly evaluating our efforts, reviewing our learnings, and ensuring we are bringing value to our customers. We have made the decision to pivot away from the current iteration of the Keystone device. We will take our learnings and refocus our efforts on a new approach that will allow us to deliver Xbox Cloud Gaming to more players around the world in the future."
As exciting as it is that this "Project Keystone" research will be used, it does sound like any kind of device will be a long way off for now.