TOP telly models have been given a major upgrade that saves you about £400 – and potentially much more.
Better still, Brits will be able to claim the new perk starting today.
It lets owners of LG turn their big screens into games consoles.
You'll be able to play games on the TV without even owning the console.
That's not bad, given that an Xbox Series S costs £249.99, rising to £429.99 for the Xbox Series X Digital Edition.
Now after an update, specific LG Smart TV models can access the Xbox app, adding support for Xbox Cloud Gaming.
UP IN THE CLOUDS
Normally, playing games means owning a console with a powerful graphics card inside.
This graphics card renders the visuals you see on your TV screen, so you can control a character and interact with the virtual space.
That's in contrast to a TV show or movie which has its visuals pre-made, so doesn't need a lot of computing heft to show on a display.
But graphics cards are expensive, which means your console is expensive too.
Now, however, internet speeds are fast enough that you don't need a console at all.
Instead, (which owns Xbox) can create the gaming visuals for you far away on a server, then beam them back to your TV – a bit like , for games.
Your controller inputs can whiz to Microsoft's servers in an instant, with visuals returned to you similarly speedily.
So it means you don't need much more than a TV and a joypad to play Xbox games. You're also not limited to the graphics of your console's hardware, as the processing isn't taking place in your home.
The only major catch is that you'll need decent internet, and a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
But this membership also gets you access to a library of rolling games that you can play without having to buy them.
That means you'll not only save on the cost of the console, but also on the price of buying games.
“With this update, players can enjoy hundreds of games in the Game Pass Ultimate catalogue,” Xbox's Lori Wright said.
She added that the library includes games like Avowed, South of Midnight, and the upcoming Towerborne.
You can also stream some games you've bought, like Assassin's Creed Shadows, NBA 2K25, and Hogwarts Legacy.
HOW TO GET STARTED
So what do you need?
Well for starters, you'll need a compatible LG Smart TV.
Xbox says it's “available on LG TVs with webOS 24 or newer”.
“This includes select 2022 and 2023 models which have been updated to software version 23.20.01 or higher, including 2022 OLED TVs, and 2023 OLED, QNED, Nanocell, and UHD TVs,” Xbox explains.
You'll also need a compatible wireless controller with Bluetooth support.
And then you'll need an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, which is currently £14.99 a month in the UK.
The official Xbox list of what that'll net you includes:
- Hundreds of high-quality games on console, PC and cloud
- New games on day one
- Online console multiplayer
- EA Play membership
- Member deals, discounts and Perks, plus in-game benefits
If you've got a 2025 LG TV, you'll be able to see the Xbox app in the new LG Gaming Portal.
Just get there via the Gaming Q-Card on your TV's homepage.
If you have an LG TV running webOS 24 or newer, you can get the Xbox app from the app store.
Then launch the app, sign in with your Microsoft account, connect your controller, and start playing a game of your choice.
It's worth noting that LG isn't the only gadget offering access to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
You can also access games via web browsers, smartphones, Windows PCs, tablets, select TVs (2020 and newer smart models) and more.
