Microsoft caps Xbox Cloud Gaming hours for Game Pass subscribers
Starting in November, Microsoft will limit Xbox Cloud Gaming to 15 hours per month for Ultimate members, 10 hours for Premium and 5 hours for Essential plans.
Microsoft announced that, beginning in November, Xbox Cloud Gaming will no longer be unlimited for Game Pass users. Ultimate subscribers will receive 15 hours each month, Premium members 10 hours, and Essential members only 5 hours. The firm estimates that roughly four percent of its Game Pass base will feel the impact and will need to buy extra hours via the Xbox Store, where time bundles can be purchased and will carry over month to month.
The move follows a year after Microsoft opened cloud gaming to all Game Pass tiers, a feature that had become a key selling point. In addition, the company will allow players without any Game Pass subscription to purchase cloud playtime for games they already own. Microsoft attributes the policy shift to the growing cost of delivering cloud services as usage expands.
Why it matters
The hour caps could push gamers toward higher-priced subscriptions or console upgrades, affecting how many use Xbox's cloud service.
In this story
