Microsoft launching free ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming Service, says new report
If the latest prices for Game Pass have got you angrily typing on the internet and throwing your Xbox out a window, rest assured that you’re still going to be able to play Xbox games thanks to a new service. Per a new report, Microsoft are launching a free ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming Service. Would it be as bad as the ads on YouTube?
This new report comes from the lovely Tom Warren over at The Verge, who shared some additional details today. Per Tom, this ad-supported version of Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming (commonly referred to as xCloud) will include being able to stream the games you already own on the Xbox platform, in addition to title that go into Xbox’s ‘Free Play Days’ feature, and even retro-classics will be included.
Per Tom “Sources tell me the internal testing includes around two minutes of preroll ads before a game is available to stream for free through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft is also currently testing a limit of one hour for sessions, with up to five hours free a month. These limits may well change when the service is officially launched.” For all the details, head over to The Verge for more information.
Microsoft has come under enormous scrutiny and criticism earlier this week following a very divisive Game Pass revamp. The big headline is that the once lauded main attraction for Game Pass – Day One games, are now reserved only for the newly adjusted Ultimate tier, which saw a massive 50% price increase. Fans are mad to say the least.
I shared my own thoughts on the latest changes, saying “Microsoft are turning the screws on the last remaining Xbox faithful, a seemingly dwindling number of users who still have the passion and nostalgia for the Xbox brand – a passion that Nintendo and Sony have in spades. Instead of rewarding those users, it feels more and more like Xbox are taking them for granted, and I think that the more they push these costs on to them, the more of them they will ultimately lose.” You can read the full opinion piece here.
Would you play games with ads inserted like YouTube? Let us know in the XboxEra Forums or make some noise in our Community Discord server.
