Xbox is putting a price on streaming time in the cloud. Microsoft has started testing paid hours of cloud gaming, and the smallest pack works out to about 40 cents for every hour.
Xbox Cloud Gaming: 40 cents Per Hour on Extra Time
Microsoft is testing paid cloud playtime packs with Xbox Insiders, and the smallest one offers 10 hours for $3.99, which rounds out to about 40 cents for every hour of streaming. The preview began on October 21 and is open to Xbox Insiders who do not have an active Game Pass subscription, with Microsoft planning to roll the packs out more broadly in November, as per the blog post.
Xbox says the packs bring an ad-free experience with shorter wait times and high-quality streaming, with the purchased hours staying available until they are used, meaning unused time does not expire. The gaming leg of Microsoft listed the packs by a specific number of hours, with three options available to purchase now.
Insiders can also try cloud gaming for free with ads, as Microsoft previously announced. The free option comes with longer wait times and lower-quality streaming than the paid packs.
Windows Central reported that the free tier uses 30-minute sessions during the Insider test. The outlet adds that broader availability is tied to November, when the Game Pass cloud limits take effect.
Additional Playtime Will Now Cost Users
The announcement for this massive change came last September 3, with Xbox claiming that beginning in November, it is changing how cloud gaming is included with Game Pass. Each plan gets a monthly hour allowance, and subscribers who use it up can buy extra playtime through the Xbox Store.
In September, Microsoft confirmed that Game Pass cloud gaming will cap how much time players can stream each month, according to 9to5Google. The lowest tier includes five hours a month before extra charges apply.
Game Pass Ultimate includes 15 hours of cloud gaming each month, while Premium includes 10 hours and Essential includes five hours. Eligible subscribers can still stream without monthly hour limits until the change takes effect.
Xbox expects the change to affect 4 percent of Game Pass subscribers, and it says the reason is that cloud gaming costs rise as usage grows. The company also acknowledged the impact, saying, “We understand that for some players the practical result is a higher cost.”
The packs shown in the preview carry introductory pricing, with the final pricing for subscribers to be shared before the Game Pass change takes effect, as per the Xbox Wire post.
Starting in November, players without a subscription can also buy playtime hours and stream eligible games they own on supported devices. Xbox One owners can stream eligible Xbox Series X and S games through cloud gaming without upgrading their hardware.
The Insider preview requires a cloud playable game purchase or select free-to-play access, along with a supported device. Xbox says availability may vary by market, device, account eligibility, and preview ring.
Xbox Cloud Gaming Playtime Fees
The introductory pricing has three tiers, with 10 hours costing $3.99, 25 hours costing $7.99, and 50 hours costing$11.99. Xbox does not state a rate per hour, but the math works out to about 40 cents, 32 cents, and 24 cents.
The 50-hour pack costs the least per hour at roughly 24 cents, while the 10-hour pack costs the most at about 40 cents. Microsoft has also said that pricing will be shared before the Game Pass change takes effect.
Windows Central says all three packs stream at up to about 1080p and are ad-free. It does not say whether the packs stack with the monthly hours that come with a Game Pass plan.
The same outlet lists the US prices as $9.99 a month for Essential, $14.99 for Premium, and $22.99 for Ultimate. Ultimate also streams at up to 1440p, while the other two tiers stream at about 1080p.
Essential carries more than 50 games, Premium more than 200, and Ultimate more than 400 plus day one Xbox titles, based on that chart. The chart shows these library sizes next to the monthly hour caps for each plan.
Insiders can share feedback through the Xbox player voice site or the Xbox Insider subreddit. Microsoft has promised more market details in November, when the broader rollout begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Xbox Cloud Gaming?
Xbox Cloud Gaming lets players stream eligible games to supported devices instead of running them on local hardware. Xbox One owners can stream eligible Xbox Series X and S games through cloud gaming without upgrading their hardware.
The service is part of Game Pass, and each plan differs in monthly hours, game library and streaming quality. Ultimate offers up to 1440p streaming, while Essential and Premium stream at about 1080p.
Xbox says cloud gaming costs rise as usage grows, which is why Game Pass hours are changing in November. The company expects the change to affect 4 percent of Game Pass subscribers.
Starting in November, players can also buy cloud playtime hours and stream eligible games they own without a subscription. Xbox says more cloud game support is planned throughout the year.
Who Can Access Extra Playtime on Cloud Gaming?
Xbox Insiders who do not have an active Game Pass subscription can test cloud playtime packs now. The packs come in 10, 25 and 50 hour sizes, priced at $3.99, $7.99 and $11.99.
Starting in November, Game Pass subscribers who use up their included hours can buy extra playtime through the Xbox Store. Players without a subscription will also be able to buy hours for eligible games they own.
Access requires a cloud playable game purchase or select free to play access, along with a supported device. Xbox says available hours, purchase options and features may vary by market.
When to Expect Xbox Cloud Gaming Playtime’s Broad Rollout?
Xbox plans a broader rollout of cloud playtime packs in November, and no exact day has been given. The Insider preview started on October 21, ahead of that wider launch.
The monthly hour limits in Game Pass also begin in November, as announced on September 3. Until then, eligible subscribers can keep streaming without monthly hour limits.
Xbox says market details will be shared in November, and pricing will be shared before the change takes effect. Insiders can send feedback on the preview through the Xbox player voice site or the Xbox Insider subreddit.
