Budding monetisation mogul Xbox is testing a new cloud streaming program that will allow those without an active Xbox Game Pass subscription to purchase cloud playtime in hourly batches.
The program is in preview mode at the moment, which means it's only available to Xbox Insiders (an initiative that grants members early access to new games and features). Xbox intends to expand the program "more broadly" in November 2026.
Right now, cloud playtime is being offered to Insiders at the following introductory prices:
10 hours for $3.99
25 hours for $7.99
50 hours for $11.99
"Cloud playtime packs provide an ad-free cloud gaming experience, including shorter wait times, high-quality streaming, and playtime that remains available until it’s used," said Xbox.
Xbox said its ad-supported cloud offering will not negatively impact the "core gameplay experience" and noted players who don't want their downtime bookended by delicious corporate soylent can "choose other ways to play at any time."
Microsoft's video game division has been put through the wringer in recent years. Xbox Game Studios workers have been subjected to repeated mass layoffs since the corporation acquired Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in 2023.
Under new CEO Asha Sharma, the company is searching for a clear sense of direction. So far, that has meant the promise of more exclusives, a surface-level rebrand, and reports of a next-gen console that could cost up to $1,800 without subsidisation.
Chris is an award-winning reporter with over a decade of experience covering the video game industry. He was formerly news editor at Game Developer and is currently the founder and editor of this resplendent website.
