Telstra brings back ‘X Marks the Spot’ to celebrate the launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming on Australia’s best 5G network
To celebrate the launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), Australia’s newest gaming service, Telstra is giving Aussie gamers the chance to win an amazing gaming pack for finding ‘X’ on a virtual treasure hunt.
‘X Marks the Spot’ encourages gamers to follow the clues to find one of 10 hidden cloud gaming packs in virtual locations around the internet. The first eligible hunter to find the ‘X’ gets to choose between a Samsung Galaxy S21 5G smartphone or a Xbox Series S console as the main prize, and combine it with the Razer Kishi gaming controller and a 12-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, including access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, for an amazing gaming experience.
With Xbox Cloud Gaming, customers will be able to choose how, where and when to play the latest Xbox games with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate; they can start the game at home on console or PC, and resume play on the go with a mobile device on Australia’s largest and best mobile network.
As the exclusive Australian telco partner for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, eligible Telstra customers who are new to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can get the first month free (normally $15.95/month), giving them access to Xbox Cloud Gaming as well as more than 100 high-quality console and PC games. Thousands of existing Telstra Xbox All Access customers will also have access to the cloud gaming service from tomorrow.
5G is the perfect match for Xbox Cloud Gaming as it delivers the low latency, high capacity and fast speeds needed for a superior gaming experience outside of the home. Telstra’s 5G now covers more than 75 per cent of the Australian population – the largest of any telco – with more than 3,200 suburbs and over 240 cities and towns across the nation. Gamers outside the big cities will be happy to know this includes more than 200 cities in regional Australia where Telstra 5G is the only 5G available. At home, customers also have access to Telstra’s fast nbn service, with the WiFi Guarantee delivering wall-to-wall Wi-Fi coverage for better PC and Xbox gaming.
Nathan Gumley, Head of Gaming at Telstra said the launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming in Australia is a huge milestone for Australian entertainment, just as Netflix popularised internet video streaming, Xbox Cloud Gaming arriving on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will make gaming far more accessible.
“We think our customers are going to love using Xbox Cloud Gaming on our low latency, high-capacity 5G – especially when playing co-op and multiplayer titles. We’ve worked closely with Microsoft to optimise our networks to make sure Telstra gamers have a great Xbox gaming experience – whether they’re playing at home or using their mobile device outside,” said Mr. Gumley.
Tania Chee, Xbox Business Lead ANZ said, “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Telstra to bring Xbox to more gamers across Australia. Our teams have been working closely together to optimise the Xbox Cloud Gaming experience, and we can’t wait for Telstra customers to start playing games from the cloud. Telstra is the official network for Xbox Cloud Gaming powered by Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.”
Ambition to be Australia’s best telco for gaming
Since exclusively partnering with Microsoft to launch Xbox All Access in Australia in 2019, Telstra has been on a journey to become the premier telco for gamers, developing products that help customers have a better gaming experience. Telstra Game Optimiser is a gaming add-on that helps prioritise traffic in the home network, choose specific gaming servers, help curb lag spikes and more.
New gaming loot (accessories) will also be added to Telstra’s online armoury (store) to help customers play games at the next level. The Razer Kishi gaming controller is now available to purchase (or to redeem with Telstra Plus points), with the Backbone One coming soon.
To demonstrate its support and commitment to the wider gaming industry and its community, Telstra has partnered with several local gamers, events and organisations. This included sponsoring PAX Australia and Fortress Melbourne, working with several Aussie influencers including iamfallfromgrace, and being a proud Associate Member of the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association.
Media contact: Matthew Wu
Reference number: 129/2021