You might read that headline and think, “Wait, it doesn’t already have that?” Nope. Keyboard and mouse support is currently not a part of Xbox Cloud Gaming, which streams games to mobile devices and PCs. It’s also how Xbox Series X games are playable on Xbox One. Only controller and touch-screen options are available for those without a console, but that’s going to change.
Jorg Neumann, head of production on Microsoft Flight Simulator, said as much during a community Q&A on Twitch. Mouse and keyboard support is “the next step,” according to Neumann. “I can’t give a date because it’s the platform team. I don’t know their dates, but it’s coming.” In other words, keyboard and mouse support is a blanket Xbox Cloud Gaming feature that is currently being worked on at Microsoft central. It would mean that those streaming games to their home computer would no longer need a controller to play, as they could simply use the keyboard and mouse they already own. For certain PC titles, that’s definitely preferable anyway.
It’s also a step toward accessibility, which has been on Microsoft’s mind a lot recently. Forza Horizon 5, for example, now offers American and British Sign Language support during its cinematics. This comes after full Mandarin voice acting was added to the game.
