As the world continues in its quest to quarantine and prevent the spread of COVID-19, video games have been a crucial method for many to pass the time whilst stuck at home. With some aspects of gaming have been halted because of the virus, such as the closing of all GameStop stores to foot traffic, digital services have been a big help to allow gamers to still play new games. Microsoft has been a big proponent of making their digital services on console as robust as possible, and now it seems that Microsoft Cloud Services have seen a 775% increase in demand in some areas due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Microsoft has provided some updates on their official Azure blog regarding the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Microsoft Cloud Services. When it comes to Microsoft Cloud Services that help make social distancing easier, such as Microsoft Teams, Windows Virtual Desktop, and Power BI, usage has seen significant spikes. This has been especially true in Italy, where Microsoft claims that a 775 percent increase in Microsoft Teams calls and monthly user numbers has occurred in a one month period, given that social distancing has been enforced due to the quarantine lock-down of the nation. As far as whether or not Xbox Live has put a strain on Microsoft Cloud Services capacity, this response was given by Microsoft:

We’re actively monitoring performance and usage trends to ensure we’re optimizing services for gamers worldwide. At the same time, we’re taking proactive steps to plan for high-usage periods, which includes taking prudent measures with our publishing partners to deliver higher-bandwidth activities like game updates during off-peak hours.”

It seems that Microsoft still has plans to make sure that their services are balanced and work out for the majority of their users, but given the unprecedented nature of recent events, there still may be some hiccups in the days ahead. Still, Microsoft has been able to keep their cloud services afloat despite huge spikes in demand, and that has to be commended. Let us just hope that the coronavirus isn’t always online as well.

What do you guys think about this huge increase in Microsoft Cloud Services in Italy? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned for the latest gaming news, such as Sony’s statements claiming that the coronavirus outbreak will not impact the release of the PlayStation 5, here on Don’t Feed the Gamers! Follow us on Twitter to see our updates the minute they go live!