Previously, Xbox Game Pass subscribers could stream as much as they wanted via the cloud. That changes in November: Microsoft is introducing fixed monthly hour limits for Xbox Cloud Gaming, as the company announced via the official Xbox Wire blog.
How Many Cloud Gaming Hours Will Game Pass Subscribers Get?
The new limits depend on the subscription tier: Ultimate subscribers will receive 15 hours per month, Premium customers 10 hours, and Essential subscribers 5 hours. According to Microsoft, only about 4 percent of all subscribers are affected by this change, as most players stream significantly less time via the cloud. Those who exceed the monthly limit can, according to current information, purchase additional hours that will not expire.
Why is This Change Already Drawing Criticism?
Cloud Gaming has so far been one of the major selling points for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, especially for players without their own console or a powerful PC. For many, a fixed hour limit feels like a step backward, even if only a small portion of the user base is actually affected. Precisely such cuts in prices or services have caused considerable community anger in the past.
Has Xbox Faced Similar Backlash Before?
Yes – just a few months ago, Microsoft had to backtrack on a planned price hike for individual games, some up to $80 USD, after intense criticism. Even then, the anger stemmed from the community, who complained about gradually worsening conditions in the subscription model, which was originally advertised as predictable. Whether Microsoft will simply push through the new cloud limits given the manageable proportion of affected users, or whether it will make adjustments again as it did with the price increase, remains to be seen in the coming weeks. For those who are regularly using Xbox Game Pass and want to know what's new this month, you can find our separate overview.
Source: Xbox Wire
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