Players who are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can now play over 100 games using touch screen controls thanks to the Xbox Cloud Gaming beta. From hit indies Hades, Celeste, and Spiritfarer, to RPGs like Wasteland and Fable, you can now play on your phone or tablet without an external controller.
In an email sent to players, Microsoft said it had, "added touch controls for new releases and fan favorites, including Scarlet Nexus, Hades, Psychonauts 2, Gears Tactics, and more – no controller needed.
"Play select, high-quality games with Xbox touch controls on your Apple phones & tablets, Windows 10 (and later) PCs, and Android phones & tablets."
Here is a full list of Xbox's touch-enabled games, and the devices that will support them. Microsoft added that players would be able to "adjust the controls overlay onscreen and find an optimal fit for your hands and playstyle," which is a good accessibility feature to include.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming beta is a service that allows players to stream games they already have access to via Game Pass directly to their phones and other devices. As this is a streaming service, a fast and stable internet connection is required.
While the idea of playing Yakuza: Like A Dragon on the toilet or in bed may seem like gaming blasphemy to some, it's certainly interesting that you can now choose to play it that way.
Some games on the above list of touch-enabled titles make a lot of sense, like Golf With Your Friends, or The Walking Dead, even Hades has reportedly great touch-controls. Others, like Need For Speed: Heat, and Dirt 5 may be harder to handle on a touch-screen, but it's nice to have the option to kick up some tire smoke with your fingers.
Xbox Game Pass continues to be fantastic value for people who are new to gaming or want to play next-gen titles but can't get their hands on the ever-elusive PS5. Game Pass subscribers are up to around 21 million, but that figure still falls short of Microsoft's lofty targets.