Xbox has announced, beginning in November of 2026, Xbox Cloud Gaming will now have hour limits per month, with an option to purchase additional playtime.
The default hours for those with a Game Pass subscription will be as follows:
- Game Pass Ultimate ($22.99/month): 15 hours
- Game Pass Premium ($14.99/month): 10 hours
- Game Pass Essential ($9.99): 5 hours
Pricing information for additional time has yet to be announced, but can be purchased through the Xbox Store.
Additionally, Cloud Gaming without a Game Pass Subscription will be available beginning in November, allowing players to simply purchase hours.
This change comes just a month after the introduction of Xbox's physical-to-digital program, which allows Xbox players to obtain a free digital copy of their physical games. By doing so, players can use Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream their games to supported platforms, including PCs, TVs, and mobile devices, in addition to simply downloading the digital game to their Xbox console. The program also allows Xbox One users to insert physical Xbox Series X titles into their older hardware and play them using the cloud. Originally, this could be done without any limits, but now the new monthly allowance will dictate how long you can play without spending additional money.
Update: Xbox has sent out emails to existing subscribers stating their subscription will not be changing at this time. The new hourly limit will apply to new subscribers only, and those who do not auto-renew.
Post a Comment