Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, Xbox saw record levels of engagement in 2020, a year in which its audience should have been waiting for new consoles to launch.

“If the last year has taught us anything about the future, it’s that the joy of play and its power to connect us to family, friends[,] and newly joining members of Xbox is something to be cherished and shared,” Microsoft corporate vice president Jerret West explains. “The billions of hours and over 3,800 different games you played in the last month … is the foundation for our success at Xbox [this year].”

Microsoft today provided the following data about Xbox engagement in 2020:

• Over 1.6 million seamless upgrades delivered to Xbox Series X|S owners with Smart Delivery.
• Over 40 percent of customers who joined Xbox for the first time are playing on Xbox Series S.
• One of the fastest-selling Xbox Series X|S markets out of 40+ launch regions, Europe saw record sellouts in a matter of hours across the UK, France, and Germany.
• During November, Xbox Game Pass members played more of their favorites, including, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Rainbow Six: Siege, Tetris Effect Connected, and Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order with EA Play on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

More exciting, perhaps, Microsoft is now promising explicitly to bring Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’s Cloud gaming (beta) to iOS and PC in 2021.

“In Spring 2021, we will take the next step in our journey to reach more players around the world by making cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate available on Windows PCs through the Xbox app and browser, and iOS devices through [a] mobile web browser,” West announced. “By adding over a billion devices as a path to playing in the Xbox ecosystem, we envision a seamless experience for all types of players.”

Microsoft will also bring Cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to new markets, including Australia, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico, West said.