Xbox Cloud Gaming to launch ad-supported service
Xbox Cloud Gaming users have started seeing ads offering '1 hour of ad-supported play per session,' which is believed to be a reference to a future ad-supported plan.
Xbox Cloud Gaming ad tier rumored | Windows Central
Xbox Cloud Gaming to debut ad tier later this year: report
https://mobilesyrup.com/2026/01/19/xbox-cloud-gaming-ads-tier-report/
To use Xbox Cloud Gaming, a service that allows you to play games without downloading them, you must subscribe to Xbox's subscription service, Xbox Game Pass.
An ad-supported plan is available that allows users to use Xbox Cloud Gaming without subscribing to the above subscriptions. Its existence was reported in October 2025.
Microsoft plans free, ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming - GIGAZINE
According to technology media The Verge, an advertisement for 'one hour of ad-supported play per session' has been displayed in 2026. This is likely a promotion for a new plan to be added in the future.
looks like ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming is coming soon ???? pic.twitter.com/c8hAERrVB9
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) January 17, 2026
According to a statement from Microsoft to Windows Central, the ad-supported plan will be available to Xbox gamers who don't subscribe to Xbox Game Pass. However, the ad-supported plan itself hasn't launched yet, and it's possible that the premature ads were a mistake on the part of the publisher.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is driving growth for Microsoft, particularly in regions where tariffs and other economic factors make purchasing traditional gaming hardware impractical, and the company reported that subscriber playtime will increase 45% year-over-year by 2025.
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