Later this year, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate titles will be available for streaming on Android devices, making Microsoft's game delivery service an attractive cloud gaming service in its own right. Microsoft has now revealed a few key details about the program: it will support over 100 streaming games, save progress will carry over between platforms, and will be available in 22 countries (including the US and UK) on September 15.

This information comes from a blog post on Xbox Wire by Kareem Choudhry, Corporate Vice President of Project xCloud at Microsoft. In the post, Choudhry explains that Project xCloud will support over 100 games from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions and that players will be able to stream these games directly to their Android phones and tablets without the need for an Xbox console. He explains that players will be able to stream these games directly to their Android phones and tablets without the need for an Xbox console.

Perhaps more importantly, Choudhry announced that the service will launch on September 15. This is a much more specific date than last month's announcement. First, the Project xCloud/Game Pass Ultimate feature will only be available in 22 countries, including Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the US, with support for other countries coming at a later date. Choudhry also noted that the technology is still in beta at this time, so one should not expect perfect performance immediately after the service launches.

Games supported include Minecraft Dungeons, Destiny 2, Tell Me Why, Gears 5, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. With over 100 games available at launch, it is not surprising that most, but perhaps not all, of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate titles will be supported. (Microsoft has probably said so. Because it would be a huge advantage for prospective subscribers.)

Microsoft also highlighted a number of mobile-friendly accessories that make playing on Android devices easier, such as mobile controllers like the Razer Kishi and headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox. He highlighted a number of them.

But there's one more piece of good news: you'll be able to access your saved games and other progress from both the cloud and download versions of each Xbox Game Pass Ultimate title. Start a session of Gears 5 on your Xbox One, continue on your PC If you want to play and then play another level on your phone before bed, such an option is available. In a way, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is more versatile than owning the game, at least in certain situations.

The launch of Xbox Game Pass on Android devices could give new phones like the Pixel 4a and Galaxy Note 20 a significant advantage over Apple's upcoming devices like the iPhone 12. Project xCloud is currently in beta for iOS and will eventually be available for Apple devices, but a large library of high-profile Xbox games will compete with Apple Arcade, which offers iOS and Mac users a library of over 100 premium titles for $5 per month may be exactly what Android devices need in order to compete with Apple Arcade, which offers a library of over 100 premium titles for $5/month to iOS and Mac users.

You don't have to do anything radical to get access to Project xCloud when it launches: just subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate before September 15. (From there, you can download a mobile app (perhaps an existing Xbox app) and try out Microsoft's cloud gaming service for yourself.) Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $15 per month, but if you've never subscribed before, a cheaper introductory fee to subscribe.