Microsoft has some more plans for Xbox Cloud Gaming. You may soon be able to stream games on your devices for free, as long as you don't mind watching advertisements.
The Verge says Microsoft is working on a free Xbox Cloud Gaming version with ads that is already accessible by the Redmond company's employees. It will allow players to stream games that they own, along with some Free Play Days titles, which are basically try-for-free during weekends. Xbox Cloud Gaming with ads will also stream Xbox Retro Classics like Pitfall, Grand Prix, Commando, etc.
As for the ads, it seems that users will need to sit through two minutes of preroll ads before a game is ready to stream. There will be a time limit of 1 hor for sessions, and it only provides up to 5 hours for free per month. That's not particularly attractive, though this has not been finalized yet. Xbox Cloud Gaming with ads will be available across PC, Xbox consoles, handheld devices, and the web. A public beta is expected to be announced soon.
This explains a lot about why they were investing in Cloud Gaming. In case you missed it, Microsoft hiked Xbox Game Pass prices by 50% last week. Xbox Cloud Gaming is included in Game Pass Essential, Standard and Ultimate plans. It is not included in PC Game Pass. Subscribers have flocked to cancel their subscription after the price hikes were announced.
An Xbox employee told Bloomberg that Xbox gave up more than $300 million in sales of Call of Duty. The reason? Because the game was included in Game Pass for PC and Consoles. 82% of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 sales were on Sony PlayStation. So, you take a money-making game that sold millions, include it in a subscription that was cheap, and then complain about lack of sales? What kind of logic is this?
On a side note, Windows Central reports that in a statement sent to its blog, Microsoft has confirmed that it is actively investing in future first-party consoles and devices designed, engineered and built by Xbox. This was to deny rumors that Xbox was being killed. That's fine, at least it provides some competition for Sony and Nintendo, but with the inflated prices after the recent price hikes, who is going to buy an Xbox? Microsoft and ASUS' handheld console, the ROG Xbox Ally, is set to hit markets next week.
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