Xbox Cloud Gaming is a service that, since its inception, has greatly improved latency problems, but the image quality has not yet reached the levels of the competition, GeForce NOW in the first place. However, things could change very soon: in fact, the first clues of a major technical enhancement coming to Microsoft's streaming gaming platform have emerged.

To discover the news was the developer @RedPhx, creator of the Better XCloud tool, who, investigating the code of the Xbox Cloud Gaming website, identified the existence of new performance levels for the service. The current 720p and 1080p streaming options will be joined by the new 720HQ, 1080HQ and 1440 modes. The implication is that the "HQ" (High Quality) versions will offer a higher bitrate, ensuring a cleaner and more defined image, while the 1440p resolution will allow for a much sharper viewing experience on monitors and large TVs.

It is possible that Microsoft has decided to differentiate the offer based on Game Pass subscription levels, with standard resolutions available for the lower tiers, while HQ modes and 1440p resolution could become exclusive to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, thus justifying the higher costs related to the power consumption required for higher quality streaming.

This enhancement is part of Microsoft's broader strategy to make cloud gaming a pillar of its offering, with the service likely to exit beta later this year. The Redmond house is already working to make the platform more accessible, extending it to new levels of Game Pass and introducing the "Stream Your Own Game" function, which allows us to buy digital games and play them in streaming even if they are not included in the Game Pass. We hope to receive an official announcement on these important news soon.