A free tier of Xbox Cloud Gaming is reportedly coming soon, according to some new insights from a well-known Microsoft insider. The same source also shared what appears to be the first look at the upcoming Xbox service.
Originally launched as xCloud, Microsoft's game streaming offering has been available in select markets since November 2019 as an exclusive perk of Xbox Game Pass. Access to it was initially tied to the Ultimate tier of the service, though Microsoft expanded Xbox Cloud Gaming to all non-PC Game Pass tiers in August 2025. Three months later, the company revealed it was exploring the possibility of launching a free, ad-supported tier of the service, confirming months' worth of rumors on the matter.
Xbox Game Pass adds a vast open-world game, marking its first AAA title of 2026 and fourth overall since the beginning of the year.
The long-rumored freemium membership may finally be nearing launch, according to The Verge Senior Editor Tom Warren. Taking to BlueSky on January 16, the well-known Microsoft insider shared what appears to be an Xbox promotional image advertising "1 hour of ad-supported playtime per session" while specifically relating it to an ad-supported Xbox Cloud...
