Accessibility Feedback on the New Xbox Cloud Gaming Web Experience: Basic Touchscreen...

Hi Xbox Cloud Gaming / Xbox Insider team,

I’d like to share some feedback I’ve been consistently raising since the early days of Xbox Cloud Gaming, especially in response to the January 26, 2026 update: “Try the New Xbox Cloud Gaming Web Experience — Now in Public Preview.”

First, I want to acknowledge the progress being made. The new web experience and the dynamic option to switch between console and PC appearance is an interesting step forward.

That said, there’s a long-standing accessibility gap that still hasn’t been addressed:

Basic touchscreen control overlays are not available for every game

Xbox already has basic touchscreen control overlays designed for certain cloud-enabled titles. These are not custom, per-game touch layouts — they are standardized Xbox touchscreen controls.

The Better xCloud browser extension demonstrates something important:

• It effectively copies and applies Xbox’s existing basic touchscreen overlays • It makes those same controls usable across every game on xbox.com/play

This shows that the functionality already exists — it’s just not officially exposed or supported across the full library.

Why this matters

I play on an iPad and rely heavily on touchscreen controls due to my disability. I use a hat pointer (a stylus attached to a rod mounted to my hat) to interact with the screen.

For players like me:

• Touchscreen access isn’t optional — it’s required • When a game lacks even basic touchscreen overlays, it becomes completely inaccessible • Having a consistent baseline overlay available for every game is far better than no access at all

While I appreciate the Better xCloud developers, relying on a third-party extension for such a fundamental accessibility feature creates risk:

• Extensions must be updated whenever Xbox Cloud Gaming changes • If an extension breaks or lags behind updates, accessibility disappears • Core accessibility should not depend on unofficial tools

Feedback / suggestion

As the new Xbox Cloud Gaming web experience continues in public preview, I strongly encourage the team to consider officially enabling basic Xbox touchscreen control overlays for every cloud-playable game, similar to what Better xCloud already demonstrates is possible.

This would:

• Improve accessibility immediately • Reduce reliance on third-party extensions • Create a more stable and future-proof cloud gaming experience

Accessibility isn’t always about reinventing systems — sometimes it’s about making existing ones consistently available.

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this feedback.

submitted by /u/tristenonofry
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