Microsoft and LG Are Bringing Xbox to Cars

Gamers are taking to the streets.

On Tuesday, Microsoft announced a partnership with LG to bring its Xbox Cloud Gaming platform to cars that have LG-provided internet capabilities.

“Whether you’re waiting at an EV charging station or trying to entertain your passengers on an extended road trip, pass the time by playing games, keeping everyone entertained and making the journey feel more fun,” Microsoft wrote in a press release.

The gaming platform will be built into LG’s webOS Automotive Content Platform so that passengers can play games directly from the Xbox app on in-car screens. To use it, customers will need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, a Bluetooth controller, and internet access.

LG’s platform is an in-car infotainment system that allows streaming from Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and more, although the video streaming can only be operated when parked, LG said in a press release. The platform is currently available in Kia’s European electric vehicles, including the EV3, and in Hyundai Genesis models in LG’s home market of South Korea.

Along with Xbox Cloud Gaming, LG also announced on Tuesday that it is bringing Zoom to the in-car infotainment system, to allow drivers to join meetings from their cars.

Meanwhile, Xbox is also testing out a beta program that will allow “Core” and “Standard” Game Pass subscribers to access Xbox Cloud Gaming without having to subscribe to the $20 Ultimate Game Pass tier. The aim is to make cloud gaming “much more affordable,” and “more accessible to players,” Microsoft VP Jason Ronald said last month.

Gaming beyond the console

Microsoft’s strategy with Xbox recently has been to expand usage by moving the gaming beyond the console. The company began running ads late last year as part of its “This is an Xbox” campaign, showing many different tech products like headsets, phones, TVs, and laptops, and labeling them as Xboxes.

“Our work with LG is the latest example of Xbox expanding to new places, building on partnerships that already bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to mobile devices, PCs, and TVs,” the press release says.

The company also inked a partnership with LG earlier this year that brought cloud gaming to select LG smart TVs, three years after its first venture into smart TVs with Samsung.

Xbox is on the receiving end of mounting criticism over what fans and former executives have deemed a lack of innovation, particularly in hardware. Fans want more creative swings and new hardware offerings from the gaming giant, but Microsoft’s Xbox innovation push in recent years has relied heavily on software instead.