Xbox and Amazon Partner for New Way to Play Xbox Game Pass Games

Starting next month, it will be cheaper to access Xbox Game Pass than ever before. Microsoft has announced a partnership with Amazon that will allow Xbox Cloud Gaming through Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and the Fire TV Stick 4K, which cost $59.99 and $49.99, respectively. The Xbox app will be made available starting sometime in July, which will allow people to sign in using their existing Microsoft account. From there, the only requirements will be a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and a wireless controller that’s Bluetooth-enabled. Microsoft’s Wireless Xbox controllers will work, as will the PlayStation DualSense and DualShock 4. 

Through Cloud Gaming, Fire Stick users will be able to access games like Starfield, Halo: Infinite, and Forza Horizon 5. Of course, one of this year’s biggest Xbox exclusives is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and that will be a day one release on Game Pass. Xbox has talked for years about finding ways to expand Game Pass beyond PC and consoles; the company previously worked on a device that would have exclusively been used for streaming Game Pass titles. That idea never came to fruition, but this partnership with Amazon could actually be more user friendly, allowing people to stream games through a device they might already own. 

It remains to be seen whether this will help Microsoft grow the Game Pass subscriber base, but it could be a great way for existing subscribers to access their games on a second device in their home. Xbox Cloud Gaming accesses cloud saves, so users could play a game on their console in one room, and then jump right into that same save data from a different room while playing on the Fire Stick. Basically, there’s a lot of ways that this could be beneficial for both current subscribers as well as newcomers. 

While Fire Stick subscribers will need a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to access nearly every game on the app, there is one exception, and it’s pretty notable one: Fortnite. The free-to-play game was added to Xbox Cloud Gaming a few years ago, allowing users to continue to access the game on Apple devices. Now, Fortnite fans will be able to stream the game on their Fire Stick through the Xbox App. 

How do you feel about this partnership between Microsoft and Amazon? Will you use this feature on Fire Stick? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!