Korea readies Xbox Project xCloud launch as SK Telecom bets big on 5G streaming
Microsoft looks set to push its Xbox Game Pass cloud streaming into Korea, with backing from 5G authority SK Telecom and the Samsung Galaxy Note20 family.
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Preparations remain underway for Project xCloud, Microsoft’s Xbox game-streaming platformpoised for September 15,bundled within its all-inclusive Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Serving full-fledgedXbox One gamesto mobile, its cloud gaming service aims to mobilize its existing Xbox success outside the living room. The initial rollout centers on North America, Western Europe, and South Korea, with the latter backed by local comms giant SK Telecom.
Microsoft suggests positive reception through early Korea tests, in a market historically dominated by mobile and PC gaming. With an aggressive 5G push in the region from SK Telecom and its exclusive Project xCloud operating partner for Korea, the platform sets up to push consumers to its high-speed service. Microsoft also launched its Xbox Game Pass subscriptionin Korea last April, with its Ultimate-tier service priced at ₩16,700 monthly.
Project xCloud now readies for launch, with a promise to further refine its technology while improving localization in the market. “We’ve been working closely with Microsoft to offer high-quality cloud gaming in Korea through Project xCloud,” said Jeon Jin-soo, vice president and head of SK Telecom’s 5GX Service Business Group. “Going forward, we will further enrich gamers' experience by making more games available in the Korean language and identifying promising Korean games.”
SK Telecom also marks its imminent rollout with a new commercial, showcasing weight behind the service yet to be seen by other partnered carriers like T-Mobile and Vodafone. A now-three-way crossover gains the spotlight, with itspreviously announced bundlecompiling the Samsung Galaxy Note20 flagship, three months of Xbox Game Pass, and PowerA mobile controller alongside 5G plans. The commercial is also set to broadcast on local television network, KBS.
Microsoft and SK Telecom have shown confidencein the region, among the first Project xCloud testers, with high engagement reports. From the numbers we know, SK Telecom stated Korean usersspent 1.75 times longer with Project xCloudover the US and UK. Testers in the region were also three times more likely to return over their western counterparts.
“We’re grateful for our continued partnership with SK Telecom as we launch cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in South Korea. They were instrumental in delivering our Project xCloud preview through their leading 5G network technology,” said Kareem Choudhry, Microsoft CVP of Gaming Cloud. “We look forward to a bright future with SK Telecom and the Korean gaming community.”
Home consoles haven’t traditionally guaranteed success in Korea, partially due to former Japanese import regulations, which stifled growth for Sony and Nintendo. That also saw Xbox struggle to make a name, favoring open ecosystems in PC and mobile, instead. The arrival of Project xCloud, backed by local giants SK Telecom and Samsung, could sweeten the deal as Microsoft sets sights on a new demographic for Xbox.
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Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central’s Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft’s gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter@mattjbrown.
