EE has launched 5G “Gaming on the Go Pit Stops” to highlight its new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate add-on and demonstrate cloud gaming over 5G.
Cloud gaming offers the flexibility to play the latest titles while commuting, on holiday, at the park, or relaxing at home. Until recently, latency on 4G and many Wi-Fi networks has made cloud gaming a frustrating experience rather than a seamless one.
EE is showing how 5G can transform that experience with dedicated pit stops designed for mobile cloud gaming. The first locations are on Brighton seafront and at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock.
Each pit stop includes a bench that accommodates three players at a time—allowing for sensible social distancing—and provides access to EE’s 5G coverage on compatible devices. Built-in superfast chargers keep devices powered for extended play.
Cloud gaming is expected to be one of the key use cases encouraging consumers to upgrade from 4G to 5G, thanks to lower latency and more consistent performance.
In partnership with Xbox, EE now offers a Game Pass Ultimate add-on that provides unlimited data access to more than 100 Xbox games on the go for £10 per month.
Pete Jeavons, Director of Marketing Communications at BT and EE, said:
“Our recent research shows that gaming on the go is continuing to rise and as the UK’s best gaming network we wanted to enhance this experience in a fun and truly immersive way.
In celebration of our new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate add-on, which gives our customers unlimited gaming data and access to over 100 games, our aim is to provide the best gaming on the go experience for our customers.
The immersive Pit Stops allow gamers to re-immerse themselves in the gaming world. Connected with our high-performance network and fully charged with the inbuilt superfast chargers for the ultimate uninterrupted gameplay experience.”
EE’s recent research found that one in five gamers now play on their smartphones while getting outdoor exercise, a habit that has grown in importance over the past year.
EE also reports a 31 percent increase in data usage for some of the most popular mobile games since the final quarter of 2020.
Sophie Bannister, Head of Creative Development at M&C Saatchi TALK, added:
“Consumers haven’t been able to go to brand events IRL (In Real Life) for over a year.
Experiences like this are disrupting the everyday; they pop up and consumers can interact with the activity as much as they wish. It’s a great way to immerse consumers in your brand while providing a memorable experience.”
This week, Xbox outlined updates to its cloud services as part of a broader vision to make gaming more accessible, reinforcing how cloud gaming and faster mobile networks can bring console-quality experiences to more players.
(Image Credit: Ciaran McCrickard/PA Wire)
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