Microsoft confirms development of ‘Keystone’ Xbox streaming dongle 

After a year of hyping a potential smart TV game streaming solution, Microsoft has confirmed that it is working on a streaming dongle codenamed ‘Keystone’.

In a statement to Windows Central the Xbox maker said: “Our vision for Xbox Cloud Gaming is unwavering, our goal is to enable people to play the games they want, on the devices they want, anywhere they want. As announced last year, we’ve been working on a game-streaming device, codename Keystone, that could be connected to any TV or monitor without the need for a console.

“As part of any technical journey, we are constantly evaluating our efforts, reviewing our learnings, and ensuring we are bringing value to our customers. We have made the decision to pivot away from the current iteration of the Keystone device. We will take our learnings and refocus our efforts on a new approach that will allow us to deliver Xbox Cloud Gaming to more players around the world in the future.”

Asides from that statement, few details are available on Microsoft’s streaming dongle, such as its pricing, release or technical capabilities. 

Earlier this month, a number of reports emerged that the company was stepping up its Xbox Everywhere initiative to make Xbox games available on a wider range of devices than just its home consoles. Microsoft’s head of gaming experiences and platforms Liz Hamren previously also stated that it was working with CTV makers to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to smart TVs via an app.