Microsoft has been quietly testing a free, ad-supported version of Xbox Cloud Gaming, and sources indicate that a public beta and full launch are planned for the coming months. The Verge reports the experiment includes short preroll ads and tight session caps, which would shape how useful the free tier feels for players.
People familiar with the tests told The Verge that the current setup includes about two minutes of preroll ads before a streamed game becomes available. The company is also considering a session limit of roughly one hour, with up to five hours free per month, although these figures are subject to change before any public release.
The ad-supported tier would let you stream some games you own, alongside eligible trials from Xbox Free Play Days and Xbox Retro Classics. Microsoft CFO Tim Stuart has previously hinted at an ad-supported cloud option, and these test parameters line up with that public suggestion.
Given the recent Game Pass price changes that introduce lower-resolution and longer-queue cloud options for some paid tiers, the free offering would probably deliver a noticeably lighter streaming experience. It is also unclear whether the PC-only Game Pass tier, which does not explicitly mention Cloud Gaming, will include access to the ad-supported option.
If you mainly want to stream games you already own on your local network, running a self-hosted solution can avoid these tradeoffs. The open source Sunshine project, paired with Moonlight, lets you stream from your gaming PC with good picture quality and low latency, and, notably, no ads. These tests could change as Microsoft moves toward a public beta, but the current idea seems to be a heavily capped, ad-supported streaming option that extends reach at the cost of convenience and performance.
Please share your thoughts in the comments, especially if the idea of a free, ad-supported cloud tier would change how you play. Follow us on X and Bluesky.
