We are nearing a year since Microsoft announced that it is working on a dedicated streaming dongle for its Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) platform, with little to no word on the project since then.

That changed this week, however, as Microsoft issued a statement to Windows Central on the status of the project, confirming that the company is indeed still working on it.

It also advised that the codename for this project is Keystone, while also noting that it has since pivoted from the current iteration of the xCloud streaming dongle, although what guise it is set to take, is unclear for now.

The statement to Windows Central is as follows:

“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.“

While it remains to be seen what the new iteration of Keystone will be, it is clear that game streaming is a big focus for Microsoft moving forward, as it looks to provide a better offering than that of Google Stadia.

Along with the aforementioned streaming dongle, the company is also working with TV manufacturers to integrate some form of xCould onto smart TVs moving forward.

With the Xbox/Bethesda showcase scheduled for a couple weeks time on 12th June, hopefully more news on this front is in the offing.

[Source – Windows Central]