Xbox ad-supported cloud gaming test opens to Insiders
Microsoft is testing free Xbox game streaming with ads, one-hour limits and access to select games players already own.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Microsoft has opened an Xbox ad-supported cloud gaming test to Xbox Insiders, letting some players stream games they already own without paying for a cloud gaming subscription. The trial matters because it gives Microsoft a new way to offer Xbox streaming as console and Game Pass costs rise.
Microsoft said in an Xbox Wire post that the test starts with “select” games from a player’s own library. Sessions run for up to one hour, and the company said ads appear before play begins.
The option is not replacing paid access. Microsoft said players with a paid cloud gaming subscription do not have to watch ads to stream.
How does Xbox ad-supported cloud gaming work?
The test lets eligible Xbox Insiders stream supported games they own, with advertising shown before the session starts and a one-hour cap on each session. Cloud gaming runs a game on remote servers and streams it to a device, so the player does not need to run the full game locally on a console.
Microsoft described the ad-supported option as available for a limited test period. The company did not say how long the trial will run or which games are included beyond saying the selection is limited.
The Verge reported that Microsoft had been testing an ad-supported version of Xbox Cloud Gaming internally late last year. At that time, The Verge said people familiar with the testing described roughly two minutes of ads before a streaming session.
Why Microsoft is testing a free tier
Microsoft said the test is meant to broaden lower-cost ways to play Xbox games. The trial follows changes to Game Pass, including price increases and the addition of unlimited cloud gaming to the lowest-priced Game Pass Essential plan, which costs $9.99 a month, according to The Verge.
Before that change, The Verge reported, Xbox Cloud Gaming required a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The new ad-supported test adds another path for players who own games but do not pay for cloud gaming.
Microsoft also said cloud streaming can help Xbox One owners play newer games built for Xbox Series X and Series S without buying a newer console. That could make the test relevant to players holding older hardware, especially as Xbox console prices are set to rise by as much as $100 starting August 1, according to The Verge.
The test also arrives during a difficult stretch for Xbox. The Verge has reported on layoffs, studio closures and a renewed focus on the Fallout franchise within Microsoft’s gaming business.
Ad-supported plans have become common in video streaming, The Verge noted, and Microsoft’s experiment points to a similar model being tested for game streaming. For now, Microsoft is limiting the offer to Xbox Insiders and has not announced a wider rollout.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.