Vodafone joins up with Microsoft for 4G, 5G mobile gaming

Vodafone and Microsoft have entered a technical partnership focused on optimizing mobile gaming technology in the U.K. As part of the arrangement, Vodafone customers will have the opportunity to be amongst the first to preview Project xCloud, Microsoft’s new game-streaming technology, over the operator’s 5G and 4G networks. At $70.3 billion, the mobile gaming industry accounts for more than half of all global gaming revenue in 2018, and with 5G promising to deliver the low latency and high-speed connectivity required for better mobile cloud gaming experiences, while also making it possible for carriers to meet the growing data demands from gaming platform subscribers, the mobile gaming industry is on the brink of an explosion. Project xCloud is Microsoft’s attempt at getting in on this action and will allow gamers to instantly stream console and PC games to any device using either an internet connection when indoors, or a cellular service when on the go. The games are streamed directly from Microsoft’s servers, which make use of the Azure Cloud architecture, and with 54 different Azure regions around the globe, Microsoft promises to offer players stable service regardless of location.