Phil Spencer has reported that the cloud gaming hours on Xbox's Game Pass have increased by 45% year-over-year, claiming that this development has made gaming "more accessible than ever"

According to Microsoft's Phil Spencer, the usage of Xbox Game Pass cloud services is on the rise.

Spencer, the CEO of Gaming at Microsoft, shared in a statement on LinkedIn that the company is working towards making gaming more accessible. He noted, "One way we measure progress is by looking at engagement, and the momentum is encouraging: Game Pass cloud hours have grown by 45% compared to the same period last year. Console gamers are streaming 45% more on consoles and 24% more on other devices."

Spencer emphasized that their progress involves providing more options for gamers by letting them play their preferred games on their chosen devices, saying, "Progress is also about more choice for players - play what you want, where you want - and that’s what drives us forward. Thanks to Team Xbox, our partners, and our players for helping make this vision real."

He also referred to a separate LinkedIn message from Xbox, indicating that "big things are happening with Xbox Cloud Gaming." The service has now been launched in India and expanded in Argentina and Brazil, offering more gaming options on various devices than ever before.

In October, Microsoft increased the price of its Xbox Game Pass subscription. The top-tier option, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, went from $19.99/£14.99 to $29.99/£22.99 monthly.

The company justified this price adjustment by highlighting the expanded features, including additions to the Ultimate plan such as Fortnite Crew, valued at $11.99/month, and Ubisoft+ Classics, valued at $7.99/month. This tier also boasts improved streaming quality for Xbox Cloud Gaming and access to over 75 day-one game releases annually, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.