https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/24/22450941/microsoft-surface-duo-xbox-mobile-xcloud-cloud-gaming-dual-screen

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Microsoft has turned the Surface Duo into a handheld Xbox

New, 38 comments

The new xCloud app is like a Nintendo 3DS with Xbox games

By Tom Warren@tomwarren May 24, 2021, 11:03am EDT

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[xboxsurfac] Xbox games on the Surface Duo. Photo by Tom Warren / The
Verge

Microsoft teased the potential for an Xbox handheld-like experience
with the Surface Duo during its unveiling nearly two years ago, and
it's finally appearing today. Microsoft is updating its Xbox Cloud
Gaming (xCloud) app for Android, and it includes dual-screen support
for the Surface Duo.

The app update allows Surface Duo owners to use a virtual gamepad on
one screen of their device and games on the other. It makes the
Surface Duo look more like a Nintendo 3DS than a mobile phone, with
touch controls for a variety of games.

Microsoft has been steadily adding Xbox Touch Controls to more than
50 games in recent months, including titles like Sea of Thieves,
Gears 5, and Minecraft Dungeons. The full list of touch-compatible
games is available here, and you can of course just use a regular
Bluetooth or Xbox controller to stream games to the Surface Duo.

    Microsoft is turning its Surface Duo into a handheld Xbox today.
    The latest app update for Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) let's you
    use one screen for touch controls and the other for the game.
    It's like a Nintendo 3DS with Xbox games. Details here: https://
    t.co/ubbsEAW3r8 pic.twitter.com/aP94t9xgzC

    -- Tom Warren (@tomwarren) May 24, 2021

The benefits of a dual-screen device for this type of mobile
experience are obvious. You no longer have touch controls over the
top of the game, and your thumbs don't get in the way of seeing
important action on-screen. If dual-screen or foldable devices ever
catch on, this is a far superior way to play Xbox games without a
dedicated controller.

Microsoft has also tweaked the rest of the Xbox Cloud Gaming to work
better on the Surface Duo. Improvements include making it easier to
view content, move through menus, and the addition of columned
layouts. The updated app is available now in Google Play Store.

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