8 x Xbox One S boards power xCloud game servers in 2U rack

Microsoft is ramping up into the release of its streaming service known as xCloud, with public trials kicking off in October but before then, we're getting a glimpse into what hardware is baked into the data center.

In a new interview with Fortune, Xbox streaming boss Kareem Choudry walks us through the inside of the server rack that will be powering xCloud games. Inside we'll find the insides of 8 x Xbox One S consoles that are crammed into a 2U rack unit that has been designed specifically to slide into a data center.

It seems as though the first runs of Microsoft's baby steps into cloud gaming will begin with xCloud using physical Xbox One S consoles to pump the game to the consumer, so they don't need the physical console in their house. While Microsoft would be paying a lower price for Xbox One S boards (as they are the supplier) it could eventuate into supercomputers emulating Xbox One S consoles.