Xbox Is Introducing Monthly Cloud Gaming Limits for Game Pass Subscribers

Starting in November, Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming won't be unlimited anymore. Microsoft is rolling out monthly hour caps across every tier that used to offer unrestricted streaming.

According to the official announcement on Xbox Wire, beginning in November subscribers will receive the following monthly cloud gaming allowances:

• Game Pass Ultimate — 15 hours per month
• Game Pass Premium — 10 hours per month
• Game Pass Essential — 5 hours per month

Currently, subscribers on these tiers can stream through the cloud with no time restrictions at all.

Microsoft blames rising costs for the shift. Running cloud gaming isn't cheap, and the more people stream and the longer they play, the pricier it gets to keep the lights on. According to Xbox, capping hours monthly is what lets them keep the service running while still pouring money into making it more reliable and performant.

Microsoft also acknowledges that for some players, the practical result will be a higher effective cost. The company estimates the change will affect roughly 4% of Game Pass subscribers — mainly those who use cloud streaming regularly and heavily.

Players who need more time than their tier includes will be able to purchase additional cloud gaming hours through the Xbox Store. Unused purchased hours will roll over to future months. Exact pricing for extra hour bundles, along with regional availability details, will be shared by Microsoft closer to when the changes take effect. Alongside the new limits, Microsoft is launching a new pay-as-you-go option. It will let players without any Game Pass subscription buy cloud gaming hours separately and stream supported games they already own on compatible devices. It was also recently reported that Xbox may sell the rights to StarCraft.