Your next car could be an Xbox

Over the past year, Microsoft has been highlighting the potential of Xbox Cloud Gaming, demonstrating how it can turn almost any device into an Xbox. This means you can play Xbox games on your laptop, phone, tablet, gaming handheld, or even streaming devices like Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, either through a web browser or the Xbox app. Now, Microsoft aims to expand Xbox’s reach to the next big thing — and this time, it has wheels and can reach speeds of 50 miles per hour.

Microsoft and LG have announced a partnership to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to select “internet-connected vehicles.” That’s right, if you’ve always wanted to play console games in your car, like Halo or Gears of War, while stopping for a break or waiting for your vehicle to charge, that will soon be possible.

This is made possible by the Xbox app being integrated into LG’s webOS Automotive Content Platform (ACP), meaning passengers in cars equipped with this system can use Xbox Cloud Gaming directly through the Xbox app, just like they do when playing from a smart TV at home.

“Through our collaboration with LG Electronics, we are working to integrate the Xbox experience into select internet-connected vehicles, introducing a new way to bring more of what players love about Xbox into more places,” said Chris Lee, vice president of Xbox marketing, in a press release.

An Xbox that goes “VROOM”

LG’s ACP will be availalbe in more cars soon

Microsoft also dropped a trailer for its expansion of Xbox into cars, featuring the fun tagline “This is an Xbox that goes VROOM.” The trailer shows how the new integration works, and it’s essentially just the Xbox App running on the rear seat TV screens in a car with LG’s ACP system.

When it comes to which vehicles can actually support this, the list is currently pretty short because LG’s webOS ACP rollout has been limited so far. Currently, it’s available on Kia’s EV3 in Europe, and will also be coming to its upcoming models, including the EV4, EV5, and the new Sportage (via The Verge). It’s clear this is just the beginning of Microsoft’s work to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to the car, and it may take a while before this is widely available. It’s important to note that the feature will only be available on the passenger entertainment system, so it won’t be a distraction to drivers.

“Whether you’re waiting at an EV charging station or trying to entertain your passengers on an extended road trip, pass the time by playing games keeping everyone entertained and making the journey feel more fun,” Xbox said.

As for what you need to be able to play games in the car, you’ll need a wireless Xbox controller and a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which gives access to Xbox Cloud Gaming and costs $20 a month. Any cars supporting this will also require an internet connection, and automotive data plans can vary in price.

Xbox’s Cloud Gaming library has grown exponentially since its release, with tons of popular titles available to play, including Halo Infinite, Call of Duty, Gears of War: Reloaded, Forza Horizon 5, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and DOOM: The Dark Ages. Recently, Xbox added the ability to stream games from the cloud that you already own but aren’t part of Xbox Game Pass, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and Baldur’s Gate 3.

From what I’ve seen so far, this seems like a really fun initiative by Xbox and LG. The “This is an Xbox that goes VROOM” marketing is pretty funny too. It’s not the first time LG and Xbox have teamed up either — earlier this year, both announced a partnership to bring the Xbox app to LG smart TVs.

I recently tried Xbox Cloud Gaming on my Fire TV Stick, and I was honestly pretty impressed. It’s still technically in beta, but the experience seems to be getting better, and I’m really curious to see how it performs in a moving vehicle.