- BlueStacks has just launched the public beta of BlueStacks X.
- This new version of the software is browser-based and takes advantage of cloud streaming.
- Due to the new format, only a very limited selection of games are currently available.
If you want to play Android games on your PC with a keyboard and mouse, few software systems outmatch BlueStacks. However, that software has some significant limitations. The latest version only works on Windows, for example, and you’ll still need a PC powerful enough to emulate the games you’d like to play.
Enter BlueStacks X, which aims to solve those problems. Unlike the regular version of BlueStacks, which you download and install locally on your PC, this version is entirely cloud-based. All you need to do is fire up your browser, log in, and start playing.
Related: The best Android emulators for PC and Mac
Because X is browser-based, it is essentially platform agnostic. That means it works on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, and even some smart TVs. It doesn’t matter how powerful/weak your system is because cloud servers and your browser handle the graphical load.
At the moment, BlueStacks X is totally free. All you need to do is create an account (it’s easiest just to use your existing Google account) and then start playing!
So…what’s the catch? The catch, unfortunately, is that not every game you’ll want to play is available. As is the case with other cloud-based gaming platforms (Stadia, Xbox Game Streaming, etc.), you’ll need to choose from a small curated list of titles. At the moment, there are over 200 of them, with new ones landing each week. However, there are hundreds of thousands of games on the Google Play Store, so 200 is but a teeny fraction.
Want to give BlueStacks X a try? Hit the button below!