Game streaming and mobile gaming have exploded in popularity in recent years, and Microsoft is looking to capitalize by bringing full Xbox gaming capabilities to mobile devices. The company announced this week that it is introducing touch control support to its Xbox app for iOS and Android, allowing users to play Xbox Cloud Gaming titles and even stream games directly from their own Xbox console using nothing but on-screen buttons.

While small-screen gaming has typically required Bluetooth controllers in the past, advances in touch control responsiveness and haptic feedback have made mobile devices capable of gaming rigs all on their own. Microsoft notes that 20 percent of Xbox Cloud Gaming users opt for touch controls even when playing AAA titles on phones and tablets. The company has been optimizing hundreds of games’ control schemes for touch over the past couple of years, with titles like Hades, Minecraft Dungeons, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon showing particular promise with mobile-friendly layouts.

The Xbox mobile app touch controls mirror those utilized in Microsoft’s dedicated Xbox Cloud Gaming service, providing virtual buttons for movement, attacks, jumping, inventory access, and menu navigation. While serious gamers will likely still prefer the tactile feedback of a controller, the touch controls allow casual gaming on the go with no extra gear required. Xbox streamers can now game from anywhere, continuing play sessions from the couch to the bus ride to work seamlessly.

Microsoft’s efforts to mobilize Xbox gaming received a boost with the release of the dual-screen Surface Duo phone, which adopted Xbox touch controls with its unique form factor. However, Surface Duo’s lackluster sales stunted the platform’s reach. Bringing touch controls to the wildly popular standard Xbox mobile app significantly expands the target market for mobile Xbox gaming. And with Microsoft reportedly developing a standalone Xbox Cloud Gaming app for iOS, the potential player base grows wider still.

Between Xbox Cloud Gaming’s Netflix-style instant access to hundreds of titles and the ability to tap into your home Xbox from anywhere, Microsoft has removed many of the remaining barriers standing between gamers and gameplay on the go. While touch controls may not match the fidelity of controllers for competitive gaming, they provide a compelling option for casual gaming that should help Xbox continue to broaden its audience in the booming mobile space. For Xbox devotees, the ability to take Master Chief, Marcus Fenix, and the whole catalog of Xbox heroes on any phone or tablet adventure just got significantly easier. Where we game is now limited solely by the reach of the network and our imaginations. Mobile Xbox gaming for all has finally arrived thanks to the power of touch.

This story was originally published on January 27, 2024, at 8:37 am ET.

Update Feb 14, 2024, 11:42 am ET: The February 2024 updates for Xbox bring some handy features. Now, if you want to play Xbox games on your iPhone or Android phone, you can use the screen like a controller. Finding things on your Xbox should be easier too, thanks to better ways to sort and search. Also, there’s a new feature to adjust how the joystick works on your controller. For shared Xboxes, like the ones in hospitals, there’s a new setting that lets you remove a player’s information from the Xbox when they sign out, which helps keep things private and organized.