Key facts
- Xbox will introduce monthly time limits for cloud gaming on its Game Pass plans starting in November.
- Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will receive 15 hours of cloud gaming per month.
- Premium members will get 10 hours, and Essential members will receive five hours monthly.
- Xbox stated the change is due to the increasing cost of providing cloud gaming services.
- Players will have the option to purchase additional cloud gaming time.
Beginning in November, Microsoft's Xbox will implement monthly cloud gaming time limits across its Game Pass subscription tiers. The company announced the change in a blog post, stating that the decision was driven by the increasing costs associated with providing cloud gaming services.
Currently, eligible subscribers can stream games without a set monthly hour limit. Xbox acknowledged that this change will be significant for players who regularly use cloud gaming extensively, estimating that it will impact approximately 4% of Game Pass subscribers.
Under the new structure, the Game Pass Ultimate subscription, priced at $22.99 per month, will include 15 hours of cloud gaming monthly. For the $14.99 per month Premium tier, subscribers will receive 10 hours, while Essential members, paying $9.99 per month, will be allocated five hours of cloud gaming time.
Players who exceed their allotted hours will have the option to purchase additional cloud gaming time through the Xbox Store. Xbox indicated that the rising costs are a direct result of increased service usage and longer playtimes by gamers.