No console needed, LG is set to let owners of a webOS TV connect a controller and start gaming with Xbox Cloud Gaming.
The days of physically owning a next-gen console to play next-gen games have been numbered ever since Microsoft started testing its Xbox Cloud Gaming service, and when it was released a few years ago, web browsers, phones, and tablets became the instant way to get gaming provided you have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
This year, however, you’ll be able to simply bring an LG TV and a controller, and get gaming easily.
One of LG’s many announcements at CES 2025 this week, LG has announced that owners of new LG TVs will be able to jump into the world of Xbox via an app named the “LG Gaming Portal”, which will include access to Xbox Game Pass, as well as some of the previously announced HTML games LG noted it was developing for its TVs.
The addition will effectively bring Xbox to another platform without needing to own the physical console, and may include LG’s newly announced projectors, since the main requirement appears to be the latest version of webOS.
It’s worth noting that LG isn’t the first to try this. Three years ago, Samsung launched the Xbox Cloud Gaming technology onto its TVs, which made many in the technology world question just when LG would get to do the same.
It seems that now is that time, with LG’s announcement showing Microsoft is expanding, and bringing console-less gaming to webOS and LG’s TVs.
As to which TVs will get the app, our guess is the latest models, and possibly screens from 2024, as well. While LG doesn’t always have the best reputation when it comes to seeing new webOS releases make its way to old TVs, the company does offer a five year update plan for its TVs under the “webOS Re:new” program launched with last year’s screens. That suggests 2024 and 2025 screens should get the Xbox app, though older models may miss out.
