Microsoft has decided to significantly restrict access to Xbox cloud games while expanding its business in the television field. Starting in November, Game Pass users will face strict monthly limits that didn’t exist before.
Owners of basic subscriptions will benefit the most. Game Pass Ultimate will be limited to 15 hours of cloud gaming per month, Premium will get 10 hours, and Essential will only get 5 hours. Microsoft says the change will only affect about 4% of users, but even the maximum limit may only be enough to complete a normal single-player game.
The decision seems particularly strange given the company’s recent plans to expand Xbox cloud gaming. Microsoft has announced that the Xbox app will be available on TCL TVs in the coming months, continuing its partnership with Samsung and LG. Owners of such devices will need a Game Pass subscription to play games, but the cloud part of it now looks much less attractive.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft is said to have started losing money on cloud gaming after 15 hours of use, and AI tasks are increasingly demanding server capacity. The restrictions are also consistent with Xbox’s new management’s push to boost profitability after admitting the unit was too big. It looks like Microsoft is becoming decidedly more cautious with its bets on the cloud.
If you use Xbox Cloud Gaming, please write in the comments about the time you spend there.