Xbox Insiders can now test Cloud Playtime, a new option that lets players buy blocks of Xbox Cloud Gaming time without an active Game Pass subscription. Microsoft launched the preview on October 21, with a broader rollout planned for November.
According to the official Xbox Wire announcement, the introductory prices are $3.99 for 10 hours, $7.99 for 25 hours, and $11.99 for 50 hours. Purchased time remains available until it is used.
The paid packs provide an ad-free cloud gaming experience with shorter wait times and high-quality streaming. They offer another route into Xbox Cloud Gaming for people who do not subscribe to Game Pass, alongside the free, ad-supported cloud gaming option that Xbox Insiders can also test.
Cloud Playtime does not automatically provide access to every game. Microsoft says users need to own a cloud-playable game, although selected free-to-play titles are also eligible. Availability, purchasing options, supported games, devices, account eligibility, preview rings, and cloud features can vary by market.
The test adds more detail to Microsoft’s changing cloud access model. In our previous coverage of the November Xbox Cloud Gaming changes, we reported that Game Pass plans would include monthly cloud-play allowances and that additional time would be sold separately. Cloud Playtime now shows the first introductory prices for those standalone packs.
Xbox is asking Insiders to share feedback during the preview before the option becomes more widely available. The company has not given a specific November launch date in this announcement.
Would you buy standalone Xbox Cloud Playtime instead of subscribing to Game Pass?
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