Xbox Cloud Gaming May Offer Free, Ad-Supported Access, But There's a Catch

Streaming with ads has grown popular in the industry now, but one of the earliest experiences of this will come from Microsoft, with the company planning to offer this via the Xbox Cloud Gaming experience. This will center on a free access with its caveat being that it is ad-supported for the Xbox Game Pass, giving gamers a chance to enjoy the massive library, sacrificing a few seconds to watch.

Xbox Cloud Gaming: Free, Ad-Supported Tier is Planned

It was recently revealed by Xbox CFO Tim Stuart via the 2023 Wells Fargo TMT Summit that the company is planning to bring an ad-supported tier, free of charge for Xbox Cloud Gaming and the Game Pass. Effectively, this would no longer require gamers to pay for a monthly subscription for their access to Microsoft's massive library available for console and PC users.

However, it was not clarified if this free experience would focus on all titles available in the Xbox Game Pass, especially as there may be hindrances to access.

This will be similar to streaming platforms that offer the ad-supported tier, bringing as much as 30 seconds of ads before the content starts, but would not be interrupting gameplay.

Xbox Game Pass Free Tier: What's The Catch?

According to TweakTown, there is a catch. Stuart claimed that this experience will be available "for models like" Africa, India, or Southeast Asia, in places that are not 'console-first,' but did not yet clarify the exact regions or countries that would be a part of it.

Moreover, the Xbox executive also did not mention when this free tier would arrive. He further explained that it is possible to have a 30-second ad before playing for two hours of game streaming.

The Xbox Cloud Gaming Experience

Xbox's Cloud Gaming experience arrived in 2021, and it has been more than two years since the company offered more simple and easy access to renowned games available in Microsoft's library for all platforms. One of the main perks of cloud gaming is that it is available on different devices, with smartphones also part of the experience to get Xbox games on the go.

It was initially revealed that Microsoft planned to bring mouse and keyboard controls available in the Xbox platform, mainly focused on the Xbox Cloud Gaming last year, bringing forth the peripherals from the PC. However, to date, the features and support are not yet available, and it seems like the company is no longer planning to deliver this experience to gamers.

With thousands of games and titles available in the Xbox Cloud Gaming and Game Pass, it has become one of the most popular game streaming platforms in the world, also offering exclusive ones.

The recent revelation of the free, ad-supported tier for the Xbox Game Pass will bring massive possibilities for gamers to enjoy, but that will only arrive for specific countries, under Microsoft's discretion.