Xbox Cloud Gaming will have a free version with ads: play without paying

Xbox Cloud Gaming will have a free version with ads: play without paying, but with limits.

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Xbox Cloud Gaming continues to evolve, and after expanding to all versions of Xbox Game Pass this week, Microsoft is already working on a new free model with ads. According to Tom Warren at The Verge, the company is internally testing an alternative that will allow access to cloud gaming without a subscription.

The idea is to offer an entry point for any player to try the service, although with certain conditions. The internal beta is already being conducted with Microsoft employees, and everything suggests that it will soon be opened to the public as a wider test before its full launch.

How the free Xbox Cloud Gaming with ads will work

According to reports, the free plan will include:

• Available games: titles from Transmit your own game, deliveries included in Free Play Days and the Xbox Retro Classics collection.

• Advertising: two minutes of pre-roll ads will be displayed before starting each session.

• Usage limits: sessions of up to one hour in duration, with a maximum of five hours per month.

• Compatible platforms: access from PC, browser, Xbox consoles, and mobile devices.

Although these conditions may vary before launch, the proposal makes it clear that Microsoft is seeking a hybrid model: allowing anyone to try Xbox Cloud Gaming for free, while monetizing the experience through ads.

This new free plan would be added to the Essential, Premium, and Ultimate versions, which will continue to offer unlimited access and more benefits. If the company confirms these details in the coming months, we could be facing a new massive entry point into the Xbox ecosystem, designed to attract players who are not yet willing to pay for a subscription.