Microsoft will be bringing a monthly-hour limit to Xbox cloud gaming which will take effect from this November, which means around two months from now, all Game Pass subscriptions plans will include a new set of number for cloud gaming hours each month and they’re the following:
- Game Pass Ultimate: 15 hours
- Game Pass Premium: 10 hours
- Game Pass Essential: 5 hours
And once you’ve reached the full extent of the allotted hours, you can choose to buy additional cloud gaming hours through the Xbox store. In contrast, subscribers can now stream without any kind of monthly hour limits but from November, those who use cloud gaming most via Game Pass will have no other options but to pay for more, even though according to Microsoft, only 4% of Game Pass subscribers currently use cloud streaming.
Also, Microsoft has confirmed that from November, players even without a Game Pass subscription can ‘stream eligible games they own on supported devices’:
“Players will be able to purchase cloud playtime hours through the XBOX Store and stream eligible games they own on supported devices. This will provide another option for people who want occasional access to cloud gaming or do not want a recurring Game Pass subscription.
Cloud gaming can also give XBOX One owners access to eligible games built for XBOX Series X|S without requiring an immediate hardware upgrade. This feature can be particularly useful in markets where consoles are less available or affordable. We’ll continue adding cloud support for more games throughout the year.”
In the official blog post, Microsoft has also clarified that the reason they’re introducing the monthly hour limits is cause “the cost of providing cloud gaming grows as more people use it and play for longer.” The company also added that the new playtime limits will allow them to “keep offering the service while continuing to invest in its reliability and performance.”
Microsoft confirmed that it’ll provide more information regarding pricing, additional hours, eligible games, market availability and how players can keep an eye on their remaining times in November.
