Xbox on Amazon Fire TV gets older-gen addition as Microsoft pushes for cloud gaming

When Microsoft first launched Xbox on Amazon Fire TV, it was a genius business move. The Redmond tech giant promises a “play Xbox without an Xbox” experience on ads that announce the experience.

And now, it seems like Microsoft is ready to expand Xbox on Amazon Fire TV to even slightly older models.

In a recent announcement, the company says that you can stream Xbox on more devices, including the first generation of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (launched in 2021) and the 3rd generation of Fire TV Cube (2022) in addition to what’s already available with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen).

As mentioned, you can play Xbox games via cloud gaming without needing an Xbox console. The Xbox app is now available on these devices, but you also need a Game Pass Ultimate subscription and a Bluetooth-enabled controller to play it.

It doesn’t matter what, even if it’s Sony PS5’s DualSense controller or PS4’s DualShock, as long as the Bluetooth works.

“One of the biggest benefits of cloud gaming is the ability to play premium games without needing a console. The Fire TV Stick may be compact, but it can stream and run graphically intense Xbox games like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II,” Amazon says in the now-updated blog post.

Costs of a gaming console are getting expensive—PS5 prices are rising and maybe Xbox Series will follow—so no wonder gaming companies have been shifting towards a cloud experience. But even though Microsoft has struggled to sell Xbox hardware in recent quarters, its recent shift to an Xbox-less Xbox experience may be proven to be a smart move.