Microsoft: Cheaper Xbox Cloud gaming plan will soon be available for users
Now, Microsoft Gaming CFO Tim Stuart, during an interview with The Verge, has suggested that the company is looking at cheaper and more accessible ways to offer the service, even if it means including ads.
Xbox Cloud gaming could soon be available for users at a cheaper price, as Microsoft has once again hinted at making its cloud gaming service more affordable for players.
Currently, Xbox Cloud gaming is only available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which costs $19.99 (Sh2,583) per month to get access to Xbox Cloud.
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Now, Microsoft Gaming CFO Tim Stuart, during an interview with The Verge, has suggested that the company is looking at cheaper and more accessible ways to offer the service, even if it means including ads.
“One of the things we see is there’s a lot of players who use Game Pass Ultimate to access the cloud, whether that’s the primary way they play, or an additional way to play on the go,” he said.
“I think for us, it really opens up the opportunity to make it much more affordable and make it more accessible to players. Whether that’s going into new regions, or new ways to access the [Xbox] cloud.”
A cheaper tier would make sense, especially for mobile players who do not want to pay the full subscription fee.
Microsoft had originally planned to enable direct game purchases and streaming within its Xbox app on Android devices. However, those plans have been delayed due to ongoing legal disputes.
Currently, the company is shifting focus toward the future of Xbox Cloud Gaming and developing its next-generation Xbox console. According to Ronald, Microsoft is partnering with AMD to co-design custom silicon and hardware that will define the next evolution of gaming.
“We're making major investments in advanced rendering techniques, including neural rendering, which will significantly enhance the visual fidelity of games,” Ronald explained.
The upcoming Xbox hardware is expected to further bridge the gap between Xbox and Windows platforms, while giving users more flexibility in choosing game storefronts. It's also seen as a strategic moment for Microsoft to integrate more AI-driven innovations into the Xbox ecosystem.
“We're also building custom silicon specifically to power the next wave of AI features that will dramatically reshape how games are experienced,” Ronald added.
Some of these new AI capabilities will debut on the Xbox Ally X, a device equipped with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) similar to what's found in Microsoft's Copilot Plus PCs.
Microsoft plans to begin testing these AI features there, before wider global rollout.
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