New Delhi: Microsoft has officially confirmed that they are internally testing an ad-supported, free version of Xbox Cloud Gaming, which will enable users to stream select titles without requiring a paid Game Pass subscription. The company has officially confirmed that this tier is going to be a separate tier from the existing game pass subscription, according to some reports. This initiative aims to significantly broaden access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, which has previously been bundled exclusively with the Game Pass subscription.
Earlier this month, reports from some sources indicated that the software giant had already begun testing the free tier among employees. The ad-supported service is expected to provide users access to Games they already own, Eligible Free Play Days Titles, and Xbox Retro Classics games. Microsoft has already reported that they are testing this thing for the users and those gamers where they can view around two minutes of the pre-roll advertisements before starting any game for streaming. Internal testing also features limits on playtime, including a one-hour session limit and a maximum of five hours of free streaming per month.
These restrictions are subject to change before the official launch. The free tier is expected to be widely available across PC, Xbox consoles, handheld devices and web browsers. The reports also suggest that a public beta test is expected soon, with the full launch expected in the coming months. Some of the recent reports also indicated that Microsoft has demanded much higher profits from its Xbox gaming division than is typical in the video game industry. The Xbox unit must achieve 305 accountability margins, Microsoft’s term for profit margins across all its gaming operations.
