While many Xbox fans are still reeling from the news of a 50% price hike for the Game Pass Ultimate subscription, Microsoft appears to be preparing a counter-move to attract new users: a free, ad-supported version of Xbox Cloud Gaming.
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Sources familiar with Microsoft’s strategy have told The Verge that an ad-supported tier is already undergoing internal testing with employees. This free offering would allow users to access cloud gaming without a paid Game Pass subscription.
The ad-supported service will offer a limited catalogue, including:
- Select Games that a user already owns.
- A revolving selection of Xbox Retro Classics titles.
- Access to Free Play Days games, which typically allow Xbox users to try certain titles over a weekend.
The trade-off for this free access is substantial. Users may have to watch several minutes of ad content before a game begins. Crucially, the service will also come with time-based restrictions. It is currently being tested with a one-hour time limit, up to five times per month, though these limits could change before launch.
The free tier is expected to launch in beta soon and be available across PC, Xbox, handheld devices, and web browsers.
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However, streaming quality will likely be restricted to incentivize paid subscriptions:
- 1440p streaming is reserved exclusively for the top-tier Game Pass Ultimate plan.
- The mid-tier Premium and entry-level Essential tiers will be capped at 1080p.
All three paid Game Pass tiers include unlimited cloud gaming, but subscribers on lower tiers already face longer wait times. It is reasonable to assume that the new free, ad-supported service will likely be subject to the longest wait times of all, though pre-game ads could effectively mask some of that queueing time.
