Cloud Gaming
Ongoing coverage on Cloud Gaming.
Latest coverage
Xbox Game Pass to Lose Day-One Games, Split Into Two Tiers in 2027 – Rumor
A rumor suggests Xbox will restructure Game Pass in 2027 into two tiers, one with ads for $12.99 and one without for $19.99, both losing day-one first-party releases and cloud streaming. Cloud gaming will be a separate $5.99 bundle, and console multiplayer access will be unbundled at $10.99 per month. These potential changes come amid internal criticism of Game Pass's business model and past publisher objections to features like a family plan.
Xbox Cloud Gaming Changes Are an Unintentional Own Goal in Console Wars
Microsoft has announced new monthly hour limits for Xbox Cloud Gaming, which will arbitrarily restrict play time for subscribers. This move is seen as an "own goal" that alienates consumers, especially when compared to Sony's controversial decision to discontinue disc-based gaming. The new limits range from 5 hours for Game Pass Essential to 15 hours for Game Pass Ultimate, with the cost of additional hours unconfirmed but expected to be a significant drawback for players of long, open-world games.
MMO Week in Review: Foreverrrrr
BlizzCon 2026 saw major announcements including a new open-world StarCraft shooter, Diablo V for 2029, and World of Warcraft Forever launching soon. The event also revealed World of Warcraft's next retail expansion, The Last Titan, and sparked controversy over World of Warcraft Forever's monetization. Other news included the sunsetting of Ship of Heroes, layoffs at Pantheon Rise of the Fallen, and business dealings involving ArcheAge.
Amazon Prime Members Get Doom Eternal And 10 More Games For Free In September
Amazon Prime members can access Doom Eternal and ten other games for free on Amazon Luna in September. The lineup includes High on Life, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, alongside several GameNight titles. Amazon Luna is also introducing a Remote Play feature.
Amazon Luna Introduces Its Most Ambitious Feature Yet In A Rough Month For Cloud Gaming
Amazon Luna has launched a new Remote Play feature allowing up to seven users to play games together remotely, regardless of subscription status. This update arrives during a challenging period for cloud gaming, highlighted by Xbox's new monthly hour limits for Game Pass cloud play. Luna also added several new multiplayer and single-player titles to its catalog.
Boots on the Ground: ‘WARDOGS’ Goes All Out on GeForce NOW at Early-Access Launch
WARDOGS, a large-scale tactical first-person shooter, has launched in early access on GeForce NOW, allowing up to 100 players to battle for control of randomized zones. The cloud gaming service also added the 1.0 update for Valheim and Bus Simulator 27, with NVIDIA highlighting the benefits of playing demanding PC titles without expensive hardware upgrades.
Hideo Kojima Jumps Ship With Xbox Deal
Xbox has announced a new publishing deal with Kojima Productions for Hideo Kojima's upcoming action-espionage game, PHYSINT. This comes after Sony Interactive Entertainment reportedly canceled its partnership with the project. The deal expands an existing relationship between Kojima Productions and Xbox, who are already collaborating on the horror experience OD.
Available for XBOX Insiders: More Ways to Customize, Play, and Connect
Xbox Insiders can now test new console features including customizable startup animations, profile badge showcases, and a local search function for games and achievements. Updates also improve Xbox Remote Play streaming quality up to 1440p and allow downloads to continue in the background while streaming cloud games. Voice Clarity for party chat is also being tested on Xbox Series X|S.
Game Pass, Cloud Gaming and Cross-Platform Play: The New Rules of Xbox
Xbox is evolving beyond the traditional console experience, with cloud gaming, Xbox Play Anywhere, and cross-play becoming central to its strategy. Games like Halo: Campaign Evolved and Gears of War: Reloaded now launch across multiple platforms including PlayStation 5 and Steam, allowing players to seamlessly continue their progress across devices. This shift emphasizes account-led continuity and broad accessibility over hardware exclusivity.
Games Inbox: When will GTA 6 be released on PC?
Readers discuss the potential PC release date for Grand Theft Auto 6, with speculation centering around a six-month delay after the console launch. Other topics include the potential for moral choices in the game, concerns over Microsoft's cloud gaming limitations, and a critique of the industry's shift towards digital-only and away from physical media.
MMO Week in Review: Joy of movement
This week's MMO news roundup covers a preview of Guild Wars 3's combat and movement, with ArenaNet's Colin Johanson taking on the game's direction. Other news includes Xbox's cloud gaming plans, Aion 2 lacking an Oceania server, Elder Scrolls Online's roadmap, and rumors of a StarCraft successor from Nexon and Blizzard.
The Blood of Dawnwalker has sold 1 million copies in just 3 days
The Blood of Dawnwalker has achieved over one million sales worldwide within its first three days of release, developer Rebel Wolves announced. The studio, formed by former Witcher developers, also confirmed a performance mode for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S will be available on day one after fan feedback. Separately, a report indicates Microsoft has capped Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming at 15 hours per month for Ultimate subscribers, reportedly at its break-even point, potentially due to AI workload prioritization on Azure servers.
Xbox Cloud Gaming's new hourly cap is reportedly set exactly where Microsoft stops making money on it
Microsoft has reportedly implemented hourly caps on Xbox Cloud Gaming for Game Pass subscribers, with the limits set at the service's break-even point. Game Pass Essential users get 5 hours, Premium 10 hours, and Ultimate 15 hours per month. This move is attributed to cost pressures, including AI investments impacting server capacity, and a broader trend of cost-cutting within the Xbox division.
Xbox announces new Cloud Gaming limits
Xbox has announced new monthly time limits for its Xbox Cloud Gaming service, with subscribers facing caps based on their Game Pass tier. Additional hours can be purchased, and pricing details will be revealed in November. The company also plans to allow direct purchase of cloud gaming hours and enable playing purchased Xbox Series X/S games on Xbox One via the cloud.
Xbox will impose a cap on cloud gaming hours for Game Pass subscribers starting in November
Microsoft will implement monthly hour caps for cloud gaming on Xbox Game Pass starting in November, with different limits for Ultimate, Premium, and Essential subscribers. The company cites rising costs as the reason for the change, while gamers express frustration and speculate about future pricing models.
Xbox’s New TCL Partnership Couldn’t Come At A Worse Time
Xbox has announced a new partnership with TCL that will integrate the Xbox app into select TCL TV models, allowing users to play games via cloud streaming with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. This move aims to reach consumers who may not own dedicated consoles, though cloud streaming hours are limited per subscription tier. The announcement comes at a challenging time for Xbox, amidst other major releases and business developments.
XBOX and TCL Partner to Bring XBOX App to TCL Smart TVs
Microsoft and TCL have announced a new partnership that will bring the Xbox app to select TCL Smart TVs in the coming months. This collaboration aims to make Xbox gaming more accessible by allowing millions of TCL TV users in over 25 countries to stream Xbox Cloud Gaming titles directly on their televisions. Players will need a supported controller and an Xbox Game Pass subscription for cloud playtime.
Xbox charges more for game streaming and adds limits - admits it's not popular
Microsoft is introducing limits and additional charges for its Xbox Cloud Gaming service starting in November, admitting that the service is not widely used by Game Pass subscribers. The changes will restrict free play time to 5-15 hours per month depending on the Game Pass tier, with extra playtime requiring further payment. This move is seen as a blow to cloud gaming's mainstream adoption and a potential indicator of Xbox's current unpopularity.
Xbox places monthly time limits to its paid cloud gaming service, insists only a fraction of players will be impacted
Xbox is implementing monthly time limits on its cloud gaming service starting in November, affecting Game Pass Essential, Premium, and Ultimate subscribers. Microsoft insists only a small percentage of players will be impacted, but acknowledges that increased usage makes the service more expensive to provide. Players can purchase additional hours if they exceed their monthly allowance.
Xbox adds monthly cloud limits to Game Pass as it "continues to invest in its reliability and performance"
Xbox will implement monthly cloud gaming limits for Game Pass subscribers starting November 2026, with Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers receiving 5, 10, and 15 hours respectively. Exceeding these limits will require purchasing additional playtime. Microsoft states this change is necessary to maintain service reliability and performance as usage grows, acknowledging it may increase costs for some players.
