- A credible journalist reveals Microsoft is launching a freemium Xbox Cloud Gaming tier.
- The tier is supported by ads, featuring one hour of ad-supported playtime per session.
- It won’t be tied to the Game Pass service, unlike the currently available tiers.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is one of the brand’s most interesting paid services, with Microsoft expanding it beyond Game Pass Ultimate last year. Since then, it has grown massively in popularity and has been hitting tens of millions of hours monthly as new users continue to pour in.
However, there has been an increasing demand for a free tier, and Microsoft has heard it loud and clear. A prominent insider and journalist has confirmed that the company is launching a freemium ad-supported tier ‘soon.’
Why it matters: A free Xbox Cloud Gaming tier would be a great way for gamers to get introduced to the service and experience a variety of games, as long as they have a good internet connection, that is.
Tom Warren has posted a picture of the supposed new tier on Twitter, which means that it will include 1 hour of ad-supported playtime per session. The same journalist also previously broke the news about Microsoft internally testing the feature.
This new tier will also not be tied to Game Pass. This is a plus for many gamers who want to enjoy cloud gaming without subscribing to the paid service. Tom says the ad-supported experience will be a whole standalone tier.
It is expected to feature the same gaming portfolio as the paid versions, which includes most of the Game Pass entries and some separate games that are available on other Xbox Cloud Gaming tiers.
Similarly, we can likely enjoy it on all platforms that already support the rest of the cloud service, including last-gen and current-gen Xbox consoles, PCs, mobile devices, and handhelds.
The new tier will be a great gateway for Xbox users to get a free taste of paid games, but it will likely only be available in the 29 countries where Xbox Cloud Gaming is already supported. Microsoft may expand it in more regions over time, given its popularity.
Do you think the freemium Xbox Cloud Gaming tier is a nice addition to the brand? Are you happy with the one-hour time limit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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