Xbox to charge hourly fees for streaming games you already own
Microsoft has begun testing standalone cloud gaming hours priced at roughly $0.24 to $0.40 per hour. The fee is charged on top of the cost of buying the game.
Microsoft has started offering Xbox Insiders, the program for users who test new Xbox features first, the option to buy cloud gaming time separately under the name Cloud Playtime. It lets players stream games they already own, and it matters to those who do not have an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Pricing
The current "introductory launch pricing" is:
- 10 hours for $4 (about $0.40 per hour);
- 25 hours for $8 (about $0.32 per hour);
- 50 hours for $12 (about $0.24 per hour).
Microsoft says purchased time remains available until it is used, so it does not expire.
Why it raises questions
In September, Microsoft sharply limited the selection of games Game Pass subscribers can stream. At that time it said non-subscribers would soon be able to buy cloud playtime hours in the Xbox Store and stream eligible games they own on supported devices.
The new packs require the purchase of a cloud-playable game or, for certain titles, free-to-play access. The streaming cost therefore comes in addition to the price of the game itself. A Game Pass subscription, by contrast, includes a few hours of monthly streaming access to hundreds of games.
The article's author compares the model to old arcades, where people paid for short bursts of play but did not have to buy the cabinet. It also differs from Google's failed Stadia service, which offered unlimited streaming for games bought on the platform. Stadia games, however, could not be downloaded for local play on a PC or console, and they became unplayable when the service shut down in 2022, although Google refunded all purchases.
