Microsoft keeps chipping away at the idea that you need a box under your TV to play Xbox games. The latest step: your TCL TV might soon be an Xbox.
Xbox announced a new partnership with TCL that will bring the Xbox app to select TCL Smart TVs “in the coming months,” opening up cloud gaming to millions of TVs people already own. Chris Schnakenberg, CVP of Xbox Partnerships and Business Development, laid out the news in a post on Xbox Wire, framing it as part of the company’s ongoing push to be “where the world plays.” The rollout will cover more than 25 countries.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Xbox has been quietly turning smart TVs into consoles for a while now, starting with LG sets in 2025 and more recently expanding to Hisense and VIDAA OS TVs. TCL is arguably the biggest get yet, given how many of its budget-friendly panels are sitting in living rooms right now.
What you actually need to play
The pitch is simple, but there is a small checklist. You’ll need three things: the Xbox app on a supported TCL Smart TV, a supported controller, and cloud playtime — which comes bundled with Xbox Game Pass or can be purchased separately.
Once you’re in, the app hands you Xbox Cloud Gaming directly on the TV. Game Pass subscribers get what Xbox calls an “instant library” of cloud-playable games, spanning blockbuster releases, long-running franchises, and indie favorites. No download, no install, no console.
If you’re new to streaming games this way, our guide to getting started with Xbox Cloud Gaming walks through controller pairing, network requirements, and the settings worth changing before your first session.
Your account travels with you
The part Microsoft really wants to sell here is continuity. Whether you’re playing on a TCL Smart TV, an Xbox console, or a PC, your games, friends list, achievements, and cloud saves follow you around the ecosystem. Start a run on the couch, finish it on your handheld or desktop later.
That’s the same logic behind features like Xbox Remote Play on Windows 11, and it’s increasingly how Xbox positions itself — less as a piece of hardware, more as an account you can log into anywhere.
Why this matters
TCL ships a lot of TVs, and most of its buyers are value shoppers rather than people dropping $500 on a console. Putting the Xbox app in front of that audience is a low-friction way to sell Game Pass subscriptions, especially now that the revamped Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers give people cheaper entry points.
It also keeps pressure on the competition. Sony has no equivalent smart TV app strategy, and NVIDIA GeForce NOW remains a subscription on top of games you already own. Xbox’s version bundles the library and the streaming together.
The obvious caveats still apply. “Select TCL Smart TVs” means not every model qualifies, Microsoft hasn’t published the supported set list or a firm launch date, and cloud gaming lives or dies on your internet connection. Input lag on a Wi-Fi connection across the house is a very different experience than a wired console.
Still, for anyone who’s been curious about Game Pass but not curious enough to buy a console, a free app update on a TV you already own is about as easy as the ask gets.
We’ll update this story when Xbox and TCL confirm the supported models and launch timing. For more Xbox coverage, check out our Xbox and Gaming section.
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