Another week, another piece of potentially industry-shattering changes to Xbox Game Pass. In the wake of Game Pass launches on Amazon Fire TV devices earlier this month, then a subsequent price increaseNew reports suggest that Microsoft could double down on its commitment to cloud gaming, and as someone who likes games like ForzaHorizon5 on, well, a real Xbox Series XThese rumors worry me greatly.
In an article by Windows Central As reporter Jez Corden reports, the Redmond giant appears to be testing a new Game Pass tier that is only available in the cloud. “I’ve heard that Microsoft is working on a cloud version of its subscription that would be cheaper and more affordable to purchase than Xbox Game Pass Ultimate,” Corden claims. “This would be tailored to users who simply have no interest in purchasing an Xbox console, which could include competing console platforms.”
Corden goes on to say that he believes this could provide Microsoft with an opportunity to “double rip off” gamers by allowing them to purchase digital titles as part of the supposed cloud-only subscription.
This makes sense in a way, as Windows Central previously reported that Phil Spencer (CEO of Microsoft Gaming) wants to include games that Xbox players already own in Game Pass. However, this would depend on whether the iconic company strikes successful deals with the license holders of those games. This doesn’t sound like a far-fetched idea, especially since titles are constantly disappearing from Game Pass.
Microsoft is reportedly considering introducing Game Pass tiers with advertising”
Another claim made by Corden is that he’s heard “very cautious rumors that the Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan experiment is not dead.” In case you forgot about this service, it was tested in August 2022 and allowed up to five people to share a multi-user Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account.
It was discontinued the following September, but if Microsoft decides to give it another try, it could potentially be more cost-effective for the company; especially since Ultimate has just increased from $16.99 to $19.99 per month in the US, from £12.99 to £14.99 per month in the UK, and from AU$22.95 per month in Australia (previous monthly fee of AU$19.95).
Corden’s final potential bombshell? The reporter says he’s heard Microsoft has considered introducing Game Pass tiers with ads, but then quickly claims the company “is not actively working on an ad-based Game Pass tier.”
A cloudy day for the Xbox?
Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming is only available to Ultimate subscribers, and not to people using the newly named Xbox Game Pass Standard. The base tier seems to be an increasingly bad deal for Xbox players, as it removes day-one access to new games, which has always been the service’s most attractive selling point. That means that if you want to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 When it launches on October 24, you’ll need a Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
I’ve owned an Xbox Series X since it launched in November 2020, and all this speculation has me worried. The big problem, in my opinion, is that Xbox Cloud Gaming in its current form is pretty lousy. Plagued by artifacts and input lag, and limited to 1080p at 60fps, the few times I’ve played around with it over my 1GB fiber connection, the experience has been subpar to say the least.
Now, of course, I am not exactly the target group for Xbox Cloud Gaming, as I best Xbox Series X games via my Game Pass subscription for PC on an Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU. If a cloud-only version of the service does launch, I have to imagine it will be aimed squarely at gamers who want to stream games via their phones. Look, I’m not judging people who choose to go that route. What I am saying is that if you’re planning on streaming Xbox titles via a smartphone, you should consider a device like the Razer Kishi V2 Pro. Speaking of which…
At the moment the Razer Kishi V2 Pro Mobile Gaming Controller Xbox Edition for Android is on sale at Amazon for $81That’s a whopping 45% discount off the list price of $149 and an impressive savings of $68.
As someone who’s been playing Xbox games since 2002 – my god, I’m old – I simply can’t recommend Xbox Cloud Gaming in its current form, especially when there are far better cloud gaming services out there. Namely GeForce Now Ultimate. Nvidia’s top-of-the-line streaming sub is by far the best I’ve ever used, and it doesn’t come remotely close. With support for up to 4K resolution and up to 240fps, it honestly puts Microsoft’s attempt at cloud gaming to shame. Hey, that’s what the power of a cloud-based RTX 4080 GPU gives you.
In a rather telling move that suggests the Xbox division is aware that its streaming platform is not quite up to scratch, the fact that you now have the option to Stream Game Pass titles via GeForce Now directly from the official Microsoft site for a game says a lot. I hope that Team Green can now help Microsoft improve the technical quality of Xbox Cloud Streaming now that Microsoft and Nvidia have agreed to a 10-year partnership.
Whatever happens in the future, even casual fans of Microsoft games deserve better than the current state of Xbox Cloud Gaming. If the House that Bill Built can significantly improve the quality of its streaming service, I find all this talk of a cloud-only Game Pass tier far less offensive.
In the here and now, however, I will continue to kick Covenant’s ass. Halo Infinite via the Xbox app on one of the best gaming pc.
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