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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 users 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 stresses that ads will not be shown during gameplay. Currently the feature is only available to selected participants in the Xbox Insider program. The test aims to determine whether this model will appeal to players.
Free play in exchange for watching an ad
The new version of Xbox Cloud Gaming lets users launch selected games they own 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 the ads will be shown only before a game starts and will never interrupt gameplay. The company also emphasizes that the ads will not affect the availability of individual titles or limit the choice of games. Users will also receive clear information about why they are seeing ads and how the program works. Nothing changes for current Game Pass subscribers, since the test is aimed only at people who do not have a paid subscription.
Microsoft is looking for new ways to grow Xbox Cloud Gaming
The experiment comes at a time of major changes in the Xbox division. Microsoft recently raised console prices, and company representatives have openly admitted that the hardware segment is facing a difficult financial situation. A test of a free, ad-supported model could be an attempt to attract new users to cloud services without requiring a paid subscription. At the same time, the company wants to see how players will react to that method of funding the service. If the experiment succeeds, it's possible that a similar option will be rolled out to more users. So far Microsoft has not said when the tests might be expanded or whether the free variant would be available to all players. The current phase is primarily meant to provide data on user behavior and the viability of the new model. This is 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 ad before starting a game. This option does not require a Game Pass subscription and could become an alternative for people who want to try cloud gaming without extra costs. For now, the feature remains available only to participants in the Xbox Insider program.
source: digitaltrends
