The Atari hybrid console could get a native version of the Xbox Game Pass within the not-too-distant future.
The Atari VCS hasn’t been available for 6 months, and already Atari is looking to spread the console’s wings. How? Well, Xbox Game Pass—among other cloud gaming services—might soon hit VCS home screens everywhere…
Is Xbox Game Pass Coming to the Atari VCS?
According to Atari’s financial report for 2020/2021, the brand is looking to expand the capabilities of the Atari VCS in terms of what games are available on the console. It already has its modest collection of games, with more currently in development, plus you’ll access a huge selection of retro gaming fodder via Antstream Arcade.
However, cloud gaming might be coming to the VCS with direct access from the console. The financial report says that, within the coming months, Atari will build out the content it offers on the VCS console, including “cloud game streaming with direct access to popular services like Stadia, GeForce Now, Luna and Xbox“.
So, not only could we soon see Xbox Game Pass officially landing on the console, but a heap of other cloud gaming services, too.
When Is Xbox Game Pass Coming to the Atari VCS?
Right now, we do not have a selected date for the arrival of the Xbox Game Pass, or any of the opposite game streaming services, for that matter. So while you ought to (theoretically) be ready to access browser versions of those cloud platforms via the VCS’ native Chrome browser, there’s currently no “direct access” to them, i.e. there’s no dedicated, native app on the VCS that launches Xbox Game Pass (for example) as you’d find on an Android phone or your PC.
However, this is often still major news. For example, suppose the Atari VCS does indeed get Xbox Game Pass alongside the above. In that case, that opens the console up to appeal to a significantly wider customer base, particularly because it has PC capabilities, too.
This could be conjecture, but the Atari VCS Modern Controller has Xbox mode to emulate an Xbox One controller, so I’ll leave you to try the maths here…
Is Atari Bringing Anything Else to the VCS Console?
Consistent with the financial report linked above, yes, Atari will bring far more to the VCS.
These plans include direct, from-console access to G-Suite apps like Docs, Sheets, and so on. Atari is additionally planning native emulation (which Atari exclusively told us would be the case back in January 2021) of DOS PC games.
Have You Got Your Atari VCS Yet?
If not, why not? With exciting developments within the pipeline, the Atari VCS could achieve COO Michael Arzt’s vision of cornering the “living-room PC” market. Here’s hoping!
