Xbox reportedly preparing ad-supported option for Cloud Gaming

Xbox appears to be laying the groundwork for ads in its Cloud Gaming service, according to a Windows Central report that cited user pop-ups warning of "1 hour of ad-supported play time per session."

Windows Central said the pop-ups were seen by several users as they launched games. Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently included with all tiers of Xbox Game Pass, and none of those subscriptions offer an ad-supported option — at least not yet.

Microsoft told Windows Central that ads are coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming for users who have purchased Xbox games digitally but do not subscribe to Game Pass, though it did not say when this will happen. The company also said the pop-ups were shown in error, but the outlet said an ad-supported tier appears to be on the way.

The move follows a longer-term interest in advertising around cloud gaming, amid rising hardware and component costs and broader efforts to expand cloud services. A November 2025 report cited by the source found Xbox Cloud Gaming usage through Game Pass nearly doubled compared to 2024 as the service expanded into more countries. Opening Azure-backed cloud gaming to a free, ad-supported audience could help Microsoft improve server utilization and provide a rationale for building additional data centers, the report said.

Key Topics

Tech, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft, Xbox Game Pass, Azure, Ad-supported Tier