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Microsoft is testing a new way to offer Xbox Cloud Gaming. The company has begun trials of a free model that lets you play in the cloud without buying a Game Pass subscription. Instead of a monthly fee, users watch a short ad before starting a session. Microsoft emphasises that ads will not be shown during gameplay. Currently the solution is being rolled out only to selected participants in the Xbox Insider program. The test is intended to show whether this model will attract players' interest.
Free play in exchange for watching an ad
The new version of Xbox Cloud Gaming lets you launch selected games tied to your account without an active Game Pass subscription. Each session can last up to an hour. After it ends, players can start another session by watching a short ad again. Microsoft says ads will be shown only before a game starts and will never interrupt play. The company also emphasises that ads will not affect the availability of individual titles or limit the selection of games. Users will also be given clear information about why they are seeing ads and how the programme's rules work. Nothing changes for current Game Pass subscribers, as the test is aimed only at people who do not use the paid subscription.
Microsoft looks for new ways to grow Xbox Cloud Gaming
The experiment comes amid major changes in the Xbox division. Microsoft recently raised console prices, and company representatives have openly admitted the hardware segment is facing a difficult financial situation. Testing a free ad-supported model could be an attempt to attract new users to cloud services without requiring a subscription. At the same time the company wants to see how players react to this method of funding the service. If the experiment succeeds, it's possible a similar option will be rolled out to more users. For now Microsoft has not said when tests might be expanded or whether the free tier will be available to all players. The current phase is mainly intended to gather data on user behaviour and the viability of the new model. It's another example of the growing importance of cloud gaming in Xbox's strategy.
Microsoft is testing free access to Xbox Cloud Gaming in exchange for watching a short advert before starting a game. The feature doesn't require a Game Pass subscription and could become an alternative for people who want to try cloud gaming without any extra cost. For now, the feature remains available exclusively to participants in the Xbox Insider program.
source: digitaltrends
