Microsoft has restricted unlimited access to cloud gaming for Game Pass subscribers
Amid the industrial crisis, changes continue at XBOX. This time, the cloud segment is affected.
What's the gist?
- There is an XBOX Cloud Gaming service that allows users to play games in the cloud.
- It was launched in 2020, and throughout its six-year existence, it allowed subscribers of the most expensive Game Pass plan to play games from their library without any limit.
- The service was not widely popular. According to Microsoft itself, it pertains to 4% of Game Pass users — 1.2 million people.
- The key metrics of the service grew the previous year. The number of hours users spent on XBOX Cloud Gaming in 2025 increased by 45% compared to 2024.
- Yesterday, it became known that Microsoft decided to remove the unlimited cloud access.
- Starting in November, subscribers will receive a limited number of hours per month. The exact amount depends on the subscription type. For instance, users of the most expensive plan, who mainly used it before, will be limited to 15 hours a month.
- Additionally, there will be an option to purchase hours and use XBOX Cloud Gaming without a Game Pass subscription.
- The company's leadership explains the changes by the increased cost of supporting infrastructure.
This initiative is likely another step towards improving the efficiency of Microsoft's gaming division. As current XBOX CEO Asha Sharma stated in August: "Given the current crisis in hardware and components, it is absolutely necessary for all of us to seek innovative solutions and provide users with more choices in how they play."