Xbox rolls out free, ad-supported cloud gaming tier to more players

Xbox has quietly launched a free tier of its cloud gaming service to a wide public audience as of November 11th. The ad-supported option had been in testing since July but is now accessible to the vast majority of Xbox users worldwide.

Unlike the paid Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, the free tier does not require a membership fee. Instead, players must watch advertisements before the start of each gaming session. The service then provides a 30-minute block of streaming time, after which the session ends and a new set of ads must be viewed to begin another.

According to statements posted around the web, the free tier applies to a limited selection of titles. Users can stream select games from their own library as well as certain free-to-play games. The ads appear only before the session begins and do not interrupt gameplay during the 30-minute window.

The rollout was not accompanied by a major announcement from Xbox on the day of release. The company had previously outlined principles for an ad-supported model when it first revealed the test earlier in the year.