Tom Warren, editor of The Verge, reported that Xbox is testing a new cloud service with ads. It will allow playing without a Game Pass subscription and will provide access to a limited list of games for streaming.
Previously, Microsoft raised prices for consoles and the Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which now costs $30, causing criticism among players. But the company is preparing an alternative: free access to Xbox Cloud Gaming should appear in the near future.
Microsoft expects to make cloud gaming a key area of gaming activity in the coming years. This is one of the steps towards the goal.
XCloud, launched in 2018, has more than 10 million users. According to The Verge, internal testing of the new project is already underway. The plan is to launch a tier with advertising that will support a limited number of games.
The package will include Free Play Days games and Xbox Retro Classics. It is reported that one-year sessions are being tested, and users will be able to play for free for five hours a month. These limits may change by the official launch. A public beta is expected in the near future.
All this is part of a large-scale revision of Game Pass, which in the coming months may seriously change the service and affect the current audience.
