Microsoft Unveils Free, Ad-Supported Xbox Cloud Gaming

In a significant move, Microsoft is developing a free, ad-supported version of its Xbox Cloud Gaming service. According to recent reports, the tech giant has already begun internal testing of this new model, giving its employees the ability to stream select games without the need for a Game Pass subscription.

The free tier of Xbox Cloud Gaming will allow users to stream games they already own, as well as access classic Xbox Retro games and try out weekend-only Free Play Days titles. During the internal testing phase, users must watch around two minutes of ads before they can start streaming a game, with each session currently limited to one hour and a maximum of five hours of free gameplay per month.

Interestingly, this testing comes just as Microsoft has reorganized its Game Pass plans. For the first time, Xbox Cloud Gaming is now included in both the Premium and Essential tiers, while the Ultimate plan has seen a 50% price hike. This suggests that Microsoft is exploring various options to expand the reach and accessibility of its cloud gaming platform.

The idea of a free, ad-supported version of Xbox Cloud Gaming has been around for a while, with Microsoft Gaming CFO Tim Stuart first mentioning it about two years ago. Now, with the service officially out of beta, Game Pass Ultimate members can stream games in 1440p resolution with up to 30Mbps speed, while Premium and Essential users are limited to 1080p and 12Mbps.