Xbox Cloud Gaming has traditionally been a major pillar of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, but Xbox is reportedly planning to open up the feature to far more users. Cloud Gaming offers a way to play games on hardware that might not otherwise be capable, like handheld devices and smart TVs. Microsoft recently rolled out the feature for cheaper Game Pass tiers, and it now looks like that was just the beginning.
According to Tom Warren of The Verge, an ad-supported version of Xbox Cloud Gaming will soon be available for free. While the free version won’t have access to the Xbox Game Pass catalog, it will allow users to stream some of their own games, free weekend titles, and Xbox Retro Classics. Per Warren’s sources, “internal testing includes around two minutes of preroll ads,” as well as potential limits for playtime.
A Free Version Of Xbox Cloud Gaming With Ads Is On The Way
Pay In A Different Way
Xbox Cloud Gaming playtime limits might actually be a bigger drawback than the ads. While the limits aren’t set in stone yet, one-hour sessions and five-hour monthly caps are both in consideration, which would severely limit the amount of gaming free users could do on the service.
As for the resolution, bitrate, and latency, there aren’t any details about how those stats might differ from Game Pass. At any rate, don’t expect it to be any higher than the 1080p resolution and 12Mbps available for Premium and Essential Game Pass subscribers.
Like the Cloud Gaming expansion to cheaper Game Pass tiers, you can expect to see a public testing period before an official rollout of any free Cloud Gaming service.
Free Cloud Gaming Is The Wrong Priority For Xbox
Prices Just Keep Going Up
Even with limitations, free Xbox Cloud Gaming is a nice initiative. It doesn’t seem like a viable primary method for playing games, but if you want to squeeze in an extra hour of a game while in transit, free Cloud Gaming could make that possible.
Right now, though, it doesn’t seem like an answer to the most pressing Xbox complaints. Microsoft just hiked the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $20 to $30, alienating a large portion of subscribers. The Xbox Series X, meanwhile, has climbed to a staggering $650 price point, $100 more than the competing PlayStation 5.
Under the circumstances, affordable pricing for paid hardware and services would go further than introducing free services with major caveats. Xbox continues to blaze a trail in the digital gaming space, but not without some casualties along the way.
- Brand
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Xbox
- Original Release Date
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November 10, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
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Series X priced at US$499 and the Series S priced at US$299
- Weight
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9.8 lb