Xbox will cap cloud gaming hours for Game Pass subscribers starting in November

Beginning in November, Xbox cloud gaming included with XBOX Game Pass will be limited to monthly hours: 15 hours for Game Pass Ultimate, 10 hours for Game Pass Premium and 5 hours for Game Pass Essential.

Today, eligible Game Pass subscribers can stream without monthly hour limits. Xbox said it expects the change to affect 4% of Game Pass subscribers, and that once a subscriber uses their included hours they will be able to buy additional cloud playtime through the XBOX Store, with available hours, purchase options and cloud features varying by market.

Also beginning in November, players who do not subscribe to Game Pass will be able to purchase cloud playtime hours through the XBOX Store and stream eligible games they own on supported devices. Xbox described the option as a way for people who want occasional access to cloud gaming or do not want a recurring Game Pass subscription.

The company noted cloud streaming can give Xbox One owners access to eligible games built for Xbox Series X|S without an immediate hardware upgrade. Xbox said it will share pricing and further details before the changes take effect.