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NewsDeals · MSFT

Microsoft caps Xbox Cloud Gaming at 15 hours a month for top subscribers, ending unlimited access from 2020

Xbox Cloud Gaming is switching to a metered model starting in November. Microsoft announced monthly streaming hour limits across all three Game Pass subscription tiers, pulling back from the unlimited cloud access it built into Game Pass Ultimate when the service launched under the Project xCloud name in 2020. Subscribers who hit their monthly ceiling will be able to buy additional time, Microsoft said, but the company has not disclosed pricing or a rollout date for that purchase option.

By Grant HalloranNewsroomSeptember 4, 20262 min readMSFT
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Key takeaways

  • Xbox Cloud Gaming shifts to a metered model in November, adding monthly streaming-hour caps across all three Game Pass tiers.
  • Game Pass Ultimate ($23/month) gets 15 streaming hours, Premium ($15/month) gets 10 hours, and Essential ($10/month) gets 5 hours.
  • The change ends the unlimited cloud access Ultimate included when the service launched as Project xCloud in 2020.
  • The caps apply only to streaming, so games downloaded and installed locally remain fully playable with no hour limit.
  • Subscribers can buy additional streaming time after hitting their cap, but Microsoft has not disclosed the overage price or when that option launches.

Xbox Cloud Gaming is switching to a metered model starting in November. Microsoft announced monthly streaming hour limits across all three Game Pass subscription tiers, pulling back from the unlimited cloud access it built into Game Pass Ultimate when the service launched under the Project xCloud name in 2020. Subscribers who hit their monthly ceiling will be able to buy additional time, Microsoft said, but the company has not disclosed pricing or a rollout date for that purchase option.

What each tier gets

Game Pass Ultimate, the top tier at $23 per month, carries a 15-hour monthly cap on cloud streaming. Game Pass Premium, at $15 per month, is limited to 10 hours. Game Pass Essential, priced at $10 per month, allows 5 hours of streaming per month. The restrictions apply to streaming only. Games included in a subscription that a subscriber downloads and installs locally remain fully playable without any hour restriction, keeping the download side of Game Pass unchanged.

The new limits represent a clear change from the terms Microsoft set in 2020. At that time, Game Pass Ultimate included open-ended access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, which Microsoft was still calling Project xCloud before folding the branding. That model allowed subscribers to stream as much as they wanted within the library. Beginning in November, the streaming allotment becomes a finite resource that resets monthly, and any use beyond the tier's ceiling requires a separate purchase.

The number to watch

The overage price is the only key figure Microsoft has not released. The company confirmed subscribers can purchase additional streaming time after exhausting their monthly cap but has given no figure for what that costs or when the buy-in option goes live. For subscribers who rely on cloud access rather than downloaded play, that price point will define the real cost of a Game Pass subscription at each tier. Until it is published, the full economics of cloud-first Game Pass use remain open.

About this story

Filed by the newsroom of MarketPR on September 4, 2026. Source: arstechnica.com. Indicative figures are not investment advice.

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Frequently asked

When do the new streaming limits take effect?

The metered model with monthly streaming-hour caps begins in November.

How many streaming hours does each Game Pass tier get?

Ultimate gets 15 hours, Premium gets 10 hours, and Essential gets 5 hours per month.

Do the caps affect downloaded games?

No, the restrictions apply to streaming only; games downloaded and installed locally remain fully playable without any hour limit.

What happens if I use up my monthly streaming hours?

Microsoft says subscribers can buy additional streaming time, but it has not disclosed the price or when that purchase option goes live.

What did Game Pass Ultimate offer before this change?

When the service launched as Project xCloud in 2020, Ultimate included open-ended, unlimited access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.