Amazon’s Fire TVs and Fire TV Sticks are going to get access to Xbox games via the latter company’s video game streaming service, thanks to a new partnership announced last week.
The deal with Amazon and Xbox echoes a similar one that saw Xbox titles launching on Samsung TVs via the Samsung Gaming Hub in late 2022.
As with Samsung TV owners, Fire TV and Stick owners will need to pay for an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to be able to actually play the Xbox games, which are streamed to compatible devices for the price of £12.99 a month. While that may seem pricey, bear in mind that it provides a way to play Xbox games for those who cannot pay the £479.99 required to actually buy a physical Xbox Series X console.
When you purchase an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you gain access to a catalogue of over 500 Xbox game titles. To access the service through Amazon, you’’ need a Fire TV device such as the 2023 Fire TV Stick 4K or Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which are priced at £59.99 and £69.99 respectively. In addition, you’ll also need a suitable Bluetooth controller, with various options supported including Microsoft’s official Xbox controllers, the PlayStation Dualsense and Dualshock models, and many other third-party models.
Given these costs, it’s hardly a free path to Xbox gaming, especially for those who do not yet possess a Fire TV device or a controller, but it can still be a much more affordable way to get started than by going down the traditional route of buying a console. In addition, by buying a Fire TV device, you get a very capable streaming stick that provides access to tons of great content
Amazon didn’t say in its announcement when the service will actually launch, but the press release strongly hints that it will do so later this month, in both the U.S. and the U.K.
Those who are undecided may want to check out the full list of games made available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers here. Bear in mind that that list is for the U.K., and the exact list can vary from region to region. For U.K. video gamers, some of the most notable games they can access include Starfield, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and EA Sports FC 24, plus classic games like Halo, Dragon Age, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mass Effect and Minecraft.
While hardcore gamers are already likely to own a console or be able to play games regularly some other way, the Fire TV option could be a nice alternative to lugging around a console while traveling. It may also be a good opportunity for casual gamers, who just want to play sometimes instead of sitting there twiddling their thumbs on the rare occasions they’re not busy.
