Microsoft is changing how Xbox Cloud Gaming works, and the change means paying by the hour to stream games you already own.
The new system is called Xbox Cloud Playtime. Instead of needing a Game Pass subscription, players buy packs of streaming hours. They can then use those hours on supported free-to-play games or on games they’ve already bought.
How much it costs
There are three packs at launch:
- 10 hours for $3.99, about 40 cents an hour
- 25 hours for $7.99, about 32 cents an hour
- 50 hours for $11.99, about 24 cents an hour
Xbox says these are introductory prices, so they could change when the service fully launches. The packs are ad-free, and Microsoft says they offer shorter wait times and high-quality streaming. Any hours you buy stay on your account until you use them.
Cloud Playtime started rolling out to some Xbox Insiders on October 21, and Microsoft says everyone will be able to buy it from November. It’s also testing a free, ad-supported version for players who don’t mind interruptions or lower quality.
Why players are frustrated
Microsoft is pitching Cloud Playtime as a way to try cloud gaming without signing up for Game Pass. But many players are annoyed at the idea of paying again, by the hour, to play games they’ve already bought.
Microsoft has also started capping how many hours Game Pass Ultimate members can stream each month, even though the subscription costs $23 a month. It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it’s thought that Ultimate subscribers who hit their limit could be offered these packs too.
The comparison with Nvidia’s GeForce Now doesn’t help. It charges $10 a month for up to 100 hours of premium streaming of games you own on stores like Steam. That works out at about 10 cents an hour, far cheaper than even Xbox’s biggest pack.
Is there an upside?
For some players, there is. Anyone who only streams now and then, or who wants to play without a high-end PC or a new console, gets a way in without a monthly subscription. With console prices at record highs, that could appeal to a lot of people, especially with GTA 6 reportedly coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming at launch.