Microsoft Prepares Ad-Supported Xbox Cloud Gaming Tier

by Laurie Sullivan , Today Xbox Cloud Gaming service is limited to players who have Microsoft’s game pass subscription, but the company reportedly has plans to offer non-subscribers access paid for by advertising. Bringing ad-supported gaming to its cloud service would give brands an entrance into Microsoft’s premium gaming ecosystem, offering access to an engaged audience that was previously restricted to paid subscribers. Although unconfirmed, ads in this tier are expected to include two-minute pre-roll video ads that are typically unskippable. The service is undergoing internal testing with Microsoft employees. The news first appeared around October 2025, when official word came from Microsoft that this type of service would soon launch. advertisement advertisement Last week The Verge Editor Tom Warren on Bluesky shared an Xbox Cloud Gaming load screen with a message at the bottom that read: “1 hour of ad supported playtime per session.” Microsoft has been exploring free games in exchange for requiring players to watch video ads for some time, according to Windows Central. Users have noticed that Xbox Cloud Gaming began to reference "ad support" when the games launched, and recently Microsoft confirmed to Windows Central that ads will come to Xbox Cloud Gaming for users who have purchased Xbox games digitally but do not subscribe to Game Pass. Microsoft did not provide a timeline for the ad-supported tier. The company said the message seen by users were shown in error.