I ditched £500 consoles for £15 ‘virtual Xbox’ that works on ANY telly… It’s great cheap alternative for gaming-mad kids

BUYING a console can be pricey – and that’s even before you start paying for games on top.

But I’m obsessed with a cheaper alternative that costs just 50p a day – a “virtual” console.

Sean Keach

I’m playing Xbox games on the TV in my living room WITHOUT an Xbox – or any console plugged in at all[/caption]

Sean Keach

I don’t need my Nintendo or PS5 to play console games[/caption]

It works instantly, and you don’t need to buy a physical console or any games.

You’ll be able to keep the family entertained on the cheap – and you can ditch it for free any time if you get bored.

It’s called Xbox Cloud Gaming. It’s a bit like Netflix but for computer games.

Normally, you’d need to buy a £350 to £500 console (or even more), lug it home, plug it into the telly, buy games and stick them in the disc tray, and then pay a monthly subscription just to get online.

I’m tired just writing it. Instead, you can sign up for Xbox Cloud Gaming, launch an app, and away you go.

It’s a literal game-changer, and it’s the perfect option for Brits on a budget.

What you need to get going is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

This is a monthly subscription that costs £14.99 a month and gets you several Xbox-related perks.

But the main one here is access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.

This lets you play a vast library of over 350 video games without paying a penny extra.

HOW DOES A ‘CLOUD’ CONSOLE WORK?

Normally, video games need a console with a powerful graphics card inside to create the visuals you see on your TV screen.

Regular TV doesn’t require that, because telly isn’t interactive, so it can be created in advance and shown to you.

But video games don’t know what you’ll do next – they’re interactive – so the visuals need to be rendered as you’re playing.

This is very intensive work, which is why you’ve been paying money for powerful consoles.

It’s these powerful bits of hardware in that machine that make it so expensive.

Sean Keach

Fortnite is just one of the hundreds of games you can enjoy on Xbox Cloud Gaming[/caption]

Sean Keach

The visuals are sent to you over the internet, rather than being rendered by a pricey console in your living room[/caption]

Now in 2025, internet speeds are so fast that tech companies like Xbox can render the visuals far away on their own powerful machines – and then beam them back to you.

You’re basically streaming them like Netflix.

All of this happens in a flash: it’s so instantaneous, you feel like you’re just playing a regular game on a console in your living room.

But you don’t need a console at all.

And because it’s Xbox sorting the visuals out on their powerful machines, the graphics can look incredible.

HOW TO GET STARTED

To play, you’ll need a couple of things.

First, you’ll need a compatible TV device.

Lots of modern Samsung and LG TVs support Xbox Cloud Gaming.

But it’s also available on Amazon Fire TV Sticks, which is what I’m using.

That way, you can use it on basically on TV with an HDMI port. That’s pretty much any telly bought in the last 20 years.

Sean Keach

I used an Amazon Fire TV Stick – but lots of modern TVs support the Xbox app too[/caption]

Sean Keach

The Fire TV Stick just plugs into the back of your telly – it’s usually for TV apps, but it’s great for gaming too[/caption]

I tried it with an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, but it’ll also work with a Fire TV Stick 4K or Fire TV Cube.

Then just download the Xbox Cloud Gaming app.

You’ll also need a joypad. You can use an official Xbox one, but loads of regular wired or Bluetooth controllers will also work.

I used an Xbox joypad as I had one lying around.

The only real blocker for this working for you is your internet connection.

If you’ve got bad Wi-Fi, it’s game over for you. Literally.

Xbox recommends an internet download speed of 20Mbps. Millions of British homes can easily manage that.

If you’re not sure, go to speedtest.net or FAST.com to check your speed.

Then just sign into the app, activate your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, and away you go.

IS IT ACTUALLY ANY GOOD?

Xbox Cloud Gaming really is very impressive.

It’s absolutely packed with top games. Right now, some of the titles include:

• Fortnite
• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• EA Sports FC 25
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Far Cry 6
• Forza Horizon 5
• Grand Theft Auto 5
• Halo
• Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Mortal Kombat 11
• Sea of Thieves
• Spyro Reignited Trilogy
• Starfield

But there are hundreds to choose from.

Microsoft / Xbox

Once you’re set up, you can play pretty much straight away.

I was into Halo: The Master Chief Collection, playing the iconic game series in seconds. This is one of Xbox’s biggest franchises – a console staple. But my Xbox is nowhere to be seen.

Sean Keach

I was able to play Fortnite online without issue[/caption]

Then I hopped into Fortnite, straight into an online match. Despite the fact that I was “cloud” gaming, I was able to enjoy multiplayer without any serious lag.

And when I loaded up Call of Duty, the graphics were basically indistinguishable from the regular console version. Hardly a surprise, given that the visuals are being rendered on serious computers far away from my living room.

I’ve bought loads of consoles over the years.

And sometimes, I just won’t touch them for months. Life gets in the way.

That means I’ve chucked a load of cash at a giant plastic brick that sits in the corner gathering dust.

The beauty of Xbox Cloud Gaming is that this just doesn’t happen. If you’re bored with it, just cancel your membership. It’s as easy as that.

Then you can come back in four months or a year when there’s something new that you want to play.

And when you think about the quantity of games on offer here, it’s hard to argue with the value for money.

Sean Keach

It felt like playing on a regular console – but I didn’t have any gaming machine plugged into my telly[/caption]

Sean Keach

I used an Xbox joypad to play, but you can other Bluetooth controllers too – so a cheaper option may work for you[/caption]

Also, this isn’t just for TV.

If you want to play these games on your iPhone or your laptop, it’ll still work with the same subscription. You just need a joypad.

The only real downside to all of this is that you need an internet connection. If your Wi-Fi is down, you won’t be able to play.

But other than that, your gameplay is effectively unlimited.

If you don’t want to invest in a console, this is your best option for top-tier gaming on a budget.

Microsoft / Xbox

Microsoft is constantly adding new games to its Xbox Cloud Gaming library[/caption]