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Freedom251 › Blog › cloud gaming

Xbox Is Breaking Into the TV Business? What the Xbox App on Smart TVs Actually Means in 2026

By Freedom251 Team · · 5 min read

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Xbox is not making televisions or TV shows. It is putting its app and cloud-gaming service onto selected smart TVs, so you can stream Xbox games without owning an Xbox console. Whether it works on your set depends on the exact model, its software version, your country, and whether you have a Game Pass or cloud-play entitlement. Right now the list is short, partly rolled out, and still growing.

What the headline gets wrong, and what it gets right

The phrase “breaking into the TV business” suggests Xbox is becoming a TV maker or a programming outlet. The official announcements describe something narrower: distribution. Xbox is bringing its app to TV platforms that other companies build, so the TV becomes one more screen for cloud gaming. The game runs on Xbox’s servers and streams to the set. The TV is not running an Xbox console inside it.

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Xbox describes the goal in its own words. In its July 30, 2026 Xbox Wire announcement, Chris Schnakenberg, CVP of Xbox Partnerships and Business Development, wrote: “We’re continuing to bring XBOX to more devices players already own, giving them more ways to jump into their favorite games, especially those who may not be able to afford or justify buying dedicated gaming hardware.”

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Which TVs can run the Xbox app today

Eligibility is set by platform, model, software version, and region. The table below uses Xbox’s own statements and dated partner announcements. Where a detail is not published, the cell says so.

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TV platform Status as stated by the source Eligibility requirements Source and date
VIDAA OS (rebranded as V homeOS in some announcements) Xbox says the app has started rolling out to millions of VIDAA OS-powered smart TVs from 2024–2026, including supported Hisense models. Rollout is gradual across devices and regions. VIDAA OS 9.6 or higher. Supported Hisense models; other brands not stated. Xbox Wire, July 30, 2026. A January 5, 2026 Xbox Wire announcement had described the partnership as coming “during 2026.”
LG webOS TVs Listed as supported on Xbox’s TV page. LG said in an April 23, 2025 announcement that the Xbox app was available to eligible LG Smart TV owners in “over 25 countries” at that time. webOS 24 or later. Some 2022 and 2023 sets are included after specified software updates; the exact list is on Xbox’s page. Xbox TV page; LG Electronics, April 23, 2025
Samsung Smart TVs Xbox’s TV page lists 2020-and-newer Samsung TVs, subject to its current caveats. A Windows Central report from October 2026 says support for some 2020 models is set to end. Model year and software version; see the Samsung section below. Xbox TV page; Windows Central, October 2026
Amazon Fire TV Selected Fire TV devices are listed as supported. Specific devices are listed on Xbox’s page. Regional availability not stated. Xbox TV page
TCL Smart TVs Announced September 4, 2026, to arrive “in the coming months.” Not yet live as of this writing. Models, markets, and timing not yet announced. TCL says eligibility will arrive in phases through future software updates. Xbox Wire and TCL, September 4, 2026

Xbox’s announcements also say the TV partnerships could reach users in “more than 25 countries” through TCL. That is a reach claim about the partnership, not a list of markets where the app is already running.

What you need before you try it

  • A supported TV or Fire TV device on the current Xbox list, running the required software version.
  • A compatible controller (see below).
  • A stable internet connection.
  • An eligible Game Pass or cloud-play entitlement. Xbox says most available cloud games require an active Game Pass subscription, with exceptions.

Cloud gaming, not a console in your TV

Xbox says progress, friends, achievements, and saves carry across its ecosystem, so a game you start on a console or PC can continue on the TV. That continuity is the main selling point. It is not a full replacement for every console function.

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Xbox also says access does not guarantee every game. Titles, features, and availability vary by time, region, device, and plan. For Fire TV, Xbox notes that cloud streaming can have limits, including resolution, audio outputs, cloud-save-only storage, and peripheral support. Check those limits against the device you own before assuming it matches a console experience.

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Controllers

A controller is required, but it does not have to be an Xbox-branded one. For supported VIDAA devices, Xbox names these as compatible:

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  • Xbox Wireless Controller
  • Xbox Adaptive Controller
  • Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
  • PlayStation DualSense
  • PlayStation DualShock 4

Controller lists for other TV platforms may differ, so confirm on Xbox’s page for your model.

Network requirements

Xbox’s current TV setup guidance recommends a wired connection or 5 GHz Wi-Fi, with 20 Mbps or higher for best performance. Xbox also says performance varies with connection, location, device, and other factors. Treat 20 Mbps as the company’s recommendation, not a guaranteed minimum. This article did not run any hands-on latency, image-quality, or reliability tests.

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The Samsung 2020 question

Xbox’s TV page still describes 2020-and-newer Samsung TVs as supported. Windows Central, however, reported in October 2026 that Microsoft told some users the app would stop supporting 2020 Samsung Smart TVs beginning November 3, 2026, citing incompatibility with the OS version on those models. That report quotes a customer email. It was not independently confirmed from a Microsoft support notice. If you own a 2020 Samsung set, check Xbox’s TV page and your TV’s software version before buying anything for the Xbox app.

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Timeline of announcements

  • April 23, 2025: LG says the Xbox app is available to eligible LG Smart TV owners in over 25 countries.
  • January 5, 2026: Xbox announces a partnership with V (formerly VIDAA) to bring cloud gaming to select Hisense and V homeOS-powered TVs during 2026.
  • July 30, 2026: Xbox says the app has begun rolling out to VIDAA OS-powered smart TVs, including supported Hisense models.
  • September 4, 2026: Xbox and TCL announce a partnership to bring the app to select TCL Smart TVs “in the coming months.”
  • October 2026: Windows Central reports the planned end of app support for some 2020 Samsung TVs.

What the evidence does and does not establish

The reach and population figures come from Xbox and its partners. “Millions of VIDAA OS-powered Smart TVs” describes the device base Xbox is rolling out to. It is not a count of active users. No independent market statistic was located for TV cloud gaming, so this article makes no claims about adoption, sales, or market share. Xbox’s corporate statements describe its intent, not consumer demand.

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Because support is changing by model and region, the Xbox TV page is the authoritative check. Announcements about future partners such as TCL are forward-looking and will need to be confirmed model by model.

How to check whether your TV qualifies

  1. Open Xbox’s “XBOX on TVs” page and find your exact brand and model. Model numbers matter more than series names.
  2. Open your TV’s system or software information screen and note the software version. Menu locations vary by brand. VIDAA needs OS 9.6 or higher, and LG needs webOS 24 or later unless your model appears on the updated 2022 or 2023 list.
  3. Confirm your country or region is listed for your device. Regional availability is not uniform.
  4. Confirm you have an eligible Game Pass or cloud-play entitlement.
  5. Pair a controller from the supported list for your platform.
  6. Connect with a wired link or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. If the Xbox app does not appear on a listed model, the rollout may not have reached your model or region yet, since Xbox describes it as gradual.

Verdict: For a supported set, the Xbox app is a practical way to play cloud games on a TV without buying an Xbox console. For everything else, the answer depends on your model, your country, and the date you check.

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cloud gamingFire TVHisenseLGSamsungSmart TVsTCLVIDAAXboxXbox Game Pass

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