Xbox Cloud Gaming without Game Pass now has a price: $3.99 (about Php 250) for 10 hours. Xbox Insiders who don’t subscribe can buy cloud playtime now, Microsoft announces, before it rolls out more widely in November.
There are three packs, all at what Microsoft calls introductory launch pricing: 10 hours for $3.99, 25 hours for $7.99 (about Php 510) and 50 hours for $11.99 (about Php 760). The biggest one works out to about 24 cents (about Php 15) an hour, against about 40 cents (about Php 25) on the smallest.
Every pack is ad-free, with shorter waits and high-quality streaming. The hours don’t reset at the end of the month, either: they stay available until you use them. A free, ad-supported option stays open to Insiders, too.
You still have to own what you play. Playtime covers cloud-playable games you’ve already bought, or free-to-play access for select games, on a supported device. So this is a way to stream your own games, not a cheaper Game Pass.
Note: Game Pass gets monthly cloud limits in November. Microsoft’s September post says Ultimate will include 15 hours a month, Premium 10 and Essential 5; today, eligible subscribers stream without monthly limits. Microsoft expects the cap to affect 4% of subscribers, and says cloud gaming costs more to run as more people play for longer.
The $11.99 pack’s 50 hours are more cloud time than Ultimate includes in three months. Ultimate comes with a library of more than 500 games, though, and the packs come with none.
Microsoft also pitches cloud play at Xbox One owners, who can stream some games built for Xbox Series X|S without buying a new console. It says that can be especially useful in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.
