'Gamalmot' Tried It... Xbox Turned On in Subway Draws 'All Eyes'

Playing Forza Horizon 4 on the subway

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina Cho] When a controller was taken out and connected to a smartphone on the subway, everyone's attention was drawn. After selecting the representative title of Xbox, 'Forza Horizon 4,' from the various title lists, the loading time until the game started was about 20 seconds.

Due to the nature of cloud gaming, which is streaming-based, there is no need for a separate download. The 5GX cloud gaming service, officially launched this month in Korea through the partnership of SK Telecom and Microsoft (MS), features the ability to enjoy high-spec console games anytime and anywhere right in the palm of your hand.

"No download needed, no lag" Cloud gaming breaks free from spatial constraints

A 'game novice' reporter, who had only raised a few princesses (Princess Maker) in the past, tried Xbox games through the Galaxy S20+ and SK Telecom's 5G service and found it attractive that games could be comfortably played at home, on the move, or even in a cafe. It combined the accessibility and convenience of mobile games with the high specifications of console games all at once.

While playing the racing game 'Forza Horizon 4,' there was no concern about lag or delay at all. On the contrary, the immersion exceeded expectations. It was satisfying to feel such immersion even on a relatively small smartphone screen compared to a TV monitor. As a game famous for its ultra-high specifications, it was also enjoyable to appreciate the graphic quality. I even deliberately drove off the road onto fields and water. The only regret was my noticeably lower racing score compared to other users.

Playing the first-person shooter game Halo 5: Guardians

Going indoors, I launched the popular first-person shooter game 'Halo 5: Guardians' from the list. I was amazed by the graphic quality right away. There was no stuttering. Both the low latency and fast streaming speed, which gamers consider the most important factors in shooting games, were satisfactory. In a golf game played in a competitive mode with other users, I unintentionally let out a small cheer after a hole-in-one.

Over 100 games for 16,700 KRW per month... A collection of blockbuster titles

The biggest attraction of the 5GX cloud gaming service for gamers is that for a monthly subscription fee of 16,700 KRW (based on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate), they can enjoy over 100 Xbox games as much as they want. The burden of the console price, which costs hundreds of thousands of won, and the 30,000 to 50,000 KRW spent on each game title purchase has been significantly reduced.

It is also a strength that they have secured so many titles that one could say, "New games arrive overnight." Blockbusters such as 'The Witcher 3' and 'Gears 5' have gathered, making it hard to decide which game to start with.

First-person shooter game Halo 5: Guardians screen

The network environment was not a big issue either. The connection was smooth not only on SK Telecom's 5G network but also on Wi-Fi. Battery consumption was similar to the level of browsing internet articles for the same amount of time. It was also satisfying that the smartphone did not feel hot during gameplay. However, data consumption should be expected unless connected via Wi-Fi.

One point for improvement is that when disaster alerts or other messages arrive during gameplay and the user taps to check them, the game immediately closes. It is also disappointing that subtitle sizes do not automatically adjust to fit the screen size. Some games did not automatically display Korean subtitles, requiring additional settings.

Starting this November, SK Telecom will also launch the 'XAA (XBOX All Access)' program, the first in Asia, which allows users to use Xbox consoles and cloud gaming passes on a monthly subscription basis. The Xbox Series S is available for 29,900 KRW per month, and the Xbox Series X for 39,900 KRW per month, providing a new console and cloud gaming pass. After the 24-month contract period ends, the console becomes the user's property.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.