You don't actually need an Xbox Series X to play Xbox Series X games. This is because Xbox Series X games can be played on a PC or, at least for the time being, on an Xbox One. But thanks to the new cloud gaming initiative, you won't even need to download the games.

Once Project xCloud, which allows users to stream Xbox games to their phones and tablets, is in full swing, it will be part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, allowing users to play hundreds of games anywhere for one consistent price.

The information comes from the Xbox Wire blog in a post written by Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox division. Most of the blog is a recap of what we already know about the Xbox Series X. It's a powerful system, there are no true exclusives, Smart Delivery means you won't have to repurchase titles, and so on. The really interesting news is at the bottom, in the section titled "Get more from your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership." Here Spencer explains how Game Pass and xCloud will work together to allow players to stream games on any platform they own.

"With Game Pass Ultimate cloud gaming, you will be able to play over 100 Xbox Game Pass titles on your smartphone or tablet," Spencer writes. xCloud functionality comes at no additional cost and Game Pass Ultimate is currently $15 per month. It is unlikely that the price will be raised before the end of the year.

For those unfamiliar with the two services, here are the basics: Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service that provides access to hundreds of Xbox titles, much like Netflix delivers movies and TV shows. You can download these titles to your Xbox One or PC and play them for as long as you want until your subscription expires. You cannot own these titles, but if you re-subscribe to the subscription in the future, your save data will be kept on file.

Project xCloud, on the other hand, is a cloud gaming platform currently in the late stages of beta testing. It will allow players to stream Xbox games from Microsoft's servers to cell phones and tablets. Cell phones and tablets, by themselves, are not powerful enough to run current-generation Xbox games, so streaming games from another computer in another location is an effective workaround. (Streaming games rather than downloading them has its own drawbacks, but it is better than not being able to play them at all.)

It is easy to imagine how the two services could work together: with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you could download hundreds of games and play them on whatever platform you own, even if you only have a smartphone. Even if you only have a smartphone. And whether you play on a computer, console, or mobile device, you can immediately resume where you left off.

However, Spencer did not explain exactly how streaming and downloading will differ by platform. It seems reasonable to assume that players will have to download titles on Xbox consoles and PCs, but can stream titles on mobile platforms. However, if Project xCloud can eventually stream games directly to PCs, it may eliminate the need for Xbox Series X consoles as well as gaming PCs. If games can be streamed to the Xbox One console, perhaps even late-breaking Xbox Series X exclusive titles could become available on the Xbox One.

However, this is all speculation. At present, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate games can be streamed to cell phones and tablets, and Xbox Game Pass has surpassed Sony's PlayStation Now game streaming service (currently only available on PC and PS4). Potential. No word yet on how Sony will bring PlayStation Now to the PS5.