Microsoft today announced a review of how XBOX Cloud Gaming is included in the XBOX Game Pass subscription and how it can be enjoyed in the future: starting in November, each plan will provide a set number of hours of cloud gaming per month, after which additional gaming time will have to be purchased.

In detail, the monthly number of hours will be 15 hours for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, 10 hours for those who have subscribed to Game Pass Premium and 5 hours for the Game Pass Essential plan. This is a substantial novelty, given that today those who have a subscription can play in streaming without any time limit. Microsoft itself recognizes the extent of the change, particularly for those who rely on the Cloud continuously, but estimates that the impact will affect 4% of subscribers.

Once the included monthly hours have been used up, we will be able to purchase additional game time directly from the XBOX Store. The number of hours available, how to purchase and the features of the service may vary from market to market, while prices and complete details will be communicated before the new features come into force.

Something changes even for those who are not subscribers: also from November it will be possible to use XBOX Cloud Gaming without having a Game Pass subscription, purchasing hours of streaming from the XBOX Store and playing the eligible titles already in our possession on supported devices. An alternative designed for those who want occasional access to the service or prefer not to tie themselves to a recurring subscription.

The Cloud also remains a gateway for those who still own an XBOX One, allowing them to access games made for XBOX Series X|S without having to immediately face a hardware change. An aspect that Microsoft considers particularly relevant in markets where consoles are less widespread or less accessible from an economic point of view. Cloud support, we are assured, will continue to be extended to other titles throughout the year.

On the reasons behind the choice, the company explains that the costs of providing the service grow hand in hand with the number of users and the hours spent streaming: the transition to a model based on a monthly limit would therefore allow the service to be kept active while continuing to invest in reliability and performance. Microsoft openly admits that, for some users, the concrete consequence will be a higher expense.

The complete picture will arrive in November, when more precise information will be released on prices, purchase of additional hours, eligible games, availability in the various markets and on the ways in which we will be able to check the remaining time. Finally, the company has stated that it will carefully monitor feedback before and after the introduction of the new model, communicating any course corrections.