You might read that headline and think, “Wait, it doesn’t already have that?” Nope. Keyboard and mouse support is currently not a part of Xbox Cloud Gaming, which streams games to mobile devices and PCs. It’s also how Xbox Series X games are playable on Xbox One. Only controller and touch-screen options are available for those without a console, but that’s going to change.
Jorg Neumann, head of production on Microsoft Flight Simulator, said as much during a community Q&A on Twitch. Mouse and keyboard support is “the next step,” according to Neumann. “I can’t give a date because it’s the platform team. I don’t know their dates, but it’s coming.” In other words, keyboard and mouse support is a blanket Xbox Cloud Gaming feature that is currently being worked on at Microsoft central. It would mean that those streaming games to their home computer would no longer need a controller to play, as they could simply use the keyboard and mouse they already own. For certain PC titles, that’s definitely preferable anyway.
It’s also a step toward accessibility, which has been on Microsoft’s mind a lot recently. Forza Horizon 5, for example, now offers American and British Sign Language support during its cinematics. This comes after full Mandarin voice acting was added to the game.
Published: Mar 4, 2022 02:43 pm