SoundCloud has announced its first ever games console app with the launch of its audio-streaming service on Microsoft’s Xbox One.
The SoundCloud app will be available to download through the Xbox App Store from today, and the good news is that it won’t be limited to those subscribing to SoundCloud’s on-demand service — anyone with a SoundCloud account will be able to listen to their audio just as they can through other platforms.
Above: SoundCloud: Homescreen
The “fully integrated music experience” also allows gamers to listen to music or podcasts in the background without leaving the game, and the deep integration with the console means gamers can tap Cortana to play and skip tracks within SoundCloud using just their voice.
Founded in 2007, SoundCloud has grown to more than 175 million monthly listeners, though historically it has differed from the likes of Spotify insofar as it’s geared toward creators and allows anyone to upload their own audio. But last March SoundCloud launched a $10 monthly on-demand subscription service after inking deals with most of the major music publishers.
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Though SoundCloud has been battling to turn its business around, rumors abound that the company is losing a lot of money, and competitors such as Spotify and Google have recently been linked to talk of an acquisition.
SoundCloud’s arrival on Xbox One marks the first of the major music-streaming services to land on Microsoft’s console, with Pandora Premium currently limited to Pandora’s mobile apps. It is worth noting here that Microsoft offers its own Groove music subscription service to Xbox users.
Elsewhere, Spotify struck an exclusive deal with Sony to include its streaming service on PlayStation two years ago.
In addition to the Xbox One news today, SoundCloud also revealed it’s rolling out a new beta app for Windows 10 PCs and tablets.
