The Microsoft Xbox logo at the Gamescom computer games fair in Cologne, Germany, on August 26, 2026. Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesMicrosoft’s Xbox unit said Thursday it will impose monthly cloud gaming time limits for Game Pass subscribers after years of unlimited access, as the company looks to find a better balance between usage and costs. Players will be able to pay additional hours beyond the limits, which go into effect in November. Across product organizations, Microsoft executives have been devising ways to charge customers based on usage to better reflect rising costs. Demand for the software company’s finite amount of computing power is increasing, not unlike its tech peers, and customers for AI products like GitHub Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot are increasingly paying more based on how much they use. “We are introducing this model because the cost of providing cloud gaming grows as more people use it and play for longer,” Xbox said in a blog post. “Moving to monthly limits allows us to continue offering the service while continuing to invest in its reliability and performance. We understand that for some players the practical result is a higher cost.” Users with high-end Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, which cost $22.99 per month, will have access to 15 hours of cloud gaming. Game Pass Premium account holders, who pay $14.99 per month, will get 10 hours of cloud-based gameplay, while Game Pass Essential, which costs $9.99 per month, includes five hours, according to the blog post. Within Xbox, new CEO Asha Sharma has been busy evaluating business model changes to return the division to growth and drive profitability. In July, Xbox said it would test ad-supported game streaming. Only 4% of Game Pass subscribers spend more time each month streaming games over the cloud, Microsoft said. The company did not specify rates for additional hours. Those who don’t subscribe to Game Pass will be able to purchase cloud playtime to stream games they already own, Xbox said. WATCH: Take-Two Stock Rises Premarket as Players Get First Look at GTA 6 Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
