Microsoft is borrowing from the GeForce Now playbook.
Microsoft is testing a approach for people to stream sure video games they personal without spending a dime. Moderately than paying for Sport Move to entry cloud gaming options, Xbox insiders will have the ability to stream choose video games from their libraries at no additional value. They will simply want to observe some adverts first.
These ad-supported cloud gaming periods have a one-hour time restrict, identical to on GeForce Now. The check will likely be out there for a restricted time, Microsoft mentioned. The corporate famous adverts will not interrupt gameplay and that it holds “adverts to the identical high quality bar as our content material.” It should additionally “be sure that adverts match what gamers count on on every platform.” It was reported last year that Xbox had an ad-supported cloud gaming service within the works.
Microsoft is pitching this as a option to “give extra individuals extra reasonably priced methods to play,” simply days earlier than it as soon as once more increases the prices of Xbox consoles. The corporate has jacked up the costs of Sport Move subscriptions over the past couple of years too although it did backtrack a bit just a few months in the past.
Xbox leaders lately mentioned the division was running on very thin profit margins and said that could not proceed. Xbox is cutting around 3,200 jobs as a part of a reorganization that entails divesting studios and reportedly cancelling some games because it refocuses on its bigger franchises. All of that is in service of bettering Xbox’s backside line. An ad-supported streaming possibility may assist with that to a point.
Because it occurs, Microsoft introduced this check on the identical day that Amazon started integrating its Luna cloud gaming service into the Prime Video app.
Replace, July 23, 2026, 1:00PM ET: Added context concerning the present state of the Xbox enterprise.
