The Verge’s Tom Warren has further corroborated this, noting that this notification has nothing to do with Xbox Game Pass. Rather, it will be a new ad-supported free version of Xbox Cloud Gaming. Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming can only be accessed if you have an active subscription to Xbox Game Pass. The ad-supported tier seems to be a new way for Microsoft to bolster its revenue from the Xbox division.

While Microsoft itself hasn’t yet confirmed that ads are rolling out to Xbox Cloud Gaming through any official announcement, there have been a few reports indicating that this was in the works. The company had also confirmed back in October that it was testing the display of advertisements on Xbox Cloud Gaming for those who may have purchased games to play through the service but didn’t have a Game Pass subscription.

Xbox Cloud Gaming, along with other cloud-based gaming platforms like Nvidia’s GeForce Now, has a chance of coming back into fashion despite Google’s disastrous attempt with Stadia having left a bad taste in many players’ mouths. Thanks to the recent memory shortages leading to gaming hardware becoming gradually more difficult to acquire, players might start looking for a way to experience their games without having to worry about how much a new set of RAM sticks will cost for their gaming PCs, or how many more price hikes the Xbox Series X/S has gone through since last year.

The service and Microsoft’s plans to expand its user base likely stem from the company hedging its bets with its future console releases. The fact that a new Xbox console is in the works, while still the subject of rumours, should come as no surprise. Xbox president Sarah Bond even went as far as confirming that there is more Xbox hardware coming, describing it as being “very premium” and “very high-end”.

As part of an interview about the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally handheld gaming PCs, Bond spoke about the next-generation console and the idea that gamers may have moved beyond the idea of console-exclusive games.

“The biggest games in the world are available everywhere,” she continued. “You look at Call of Duty, you look at Minecraft, you look at Fortnite, you look at Roblox. That’s actually what’s really driving community in gaming. That’s where people gather. The idea of locking it to one store or one device is antiquated for most people. You want to be able to play with your friends anywhere, regardless of what they’re on. And we’re really leaning into that with [the ROG Xbox Ally] because it just opens up another way for you to play. As does cloud, as does PC, as do the consoles that we all own and have in our living rooms.”

Providing “free ad-supported cloud access to some games” and existing separately from Game Pass, the tier didn’t receive any details regarding its launch date or the prevalence of ads. According to The Verge’s original report, players can allegedly play for one hour each session and receive five hours each month for free. Two minutes of pre-roll ads were also reported.

Microsoft is reportedly planning to start with a public beta, much like it did with Project xCloud, and transition to an official launch in the months after. While only “some” owned titles are supported, players can apparently take advantage of Xbox Retro Classics and Free Play Days on PC, Xbox consoles, web browsers and handheld devices (likely including the recently-released ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X).

The Verge’s Tom Warren reports that this tier allows accessing certain owned titles without a Game Pass subscription, including those available via Free Play Days and Xbox Retro Classics. However, it will feature ads, with sources reporting two minutes of pre-roll ads following a recent test. While there’s currently no limit, Microsoft is allegedly experimenting with offering five hours free monthly and allowing one hour per session.

The plan is to launch this free Xbox Cloud Gaming tier through a public beta with a full launch supposedly coming months later. Alongside supporting PC, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, it will apparently be available for web browsers and handheld devices. As always, stay tuned for a proper announcement in the meantime.

As you would expect, the device running LG’s webOS ACP needs to be connected to the Internet. The feature has also been designed with safety regulations in mind, which means that you can’t drive and play Forza Horizon 5 (and hundreds of other titles) on your car’s digital dashboard at the same time. To make use of it, the player also needs an active subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Users simply need to connect a compatible Bluetooth controller and then launch the Xbox app from the vehicle’s infotainment system. The player can then log into their Xbox account with a Game Pass subscription and start playing as soon as possible, since cloud streaming a game doesn’t require any additional time spent on downloading or installing the title.

“Whether you’re jumping back into an old favorite or discovering something completely new, Xbox Cloud Gaming and LG Electronics transforms your vehicle’s infotainment system into more than just music and movies – it becomes a full entertainment hub,” wrote Xbox in its announcement. “Whether you’re waiting at an EV charging station or trying to entertain your passengers on an extended road trip, pass the time by playing games keeping everyone entertained and making the journey feel more fun.”

Microsoft had recently expanded its Xbox Cloud Gaming offerings by bringing the feature to more PC players. “We’re expanding the ways players can experience PC gaming through Xbox Game Pass,” announced Microsoft. “As part of testing, Xbox Insiders subscribed to Game Pass Core or Standard will for the first time gain access to PC versions of select titles, giving you even more flexibility and the choice to play on a PC or Windows handheld.”

The feature makes use of the Xbox PC app, which got support for the Xbox Cloud Gaming feature back in July. As part of this update, users that have already subscribed to Game Pass have been able to access cloud streaming at no extra cost. This new push towards bringing Xbox games to more platforms than just consoles and PCs likely ties into Microsoft’s larger ambitions surrounding its Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, as well as reports about console hardware sales hitting a plateau for the company.

In the meantime, Microsoft is currently getting ready to launch its own handheld devices that were built in collaboration with Asus – the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. Both handhelds will run on Windows, complete with a new UI that makes navigating with a controller simpler, and are slated to hit store shelves worldwide on October 16.

The goal of the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is to provide a new avenue to experience Xbox titles (rather than suddenly delving into VR gaming). With the Xbox app, you can essentially stream them via Xbox Cloud Gaming, included in Game Pass Ultimate. These include The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, Avowed, South of Midnight and other supported games.

Cross-play and cross-progression are also supported and carry over to other devices (including Microsoft’s own console, the Xbox Series X/S). The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition includes 128 GB of storage, Touch Plus controllers, a limited edition Xbox Wireless Controller, an “Elite” strap, and three-month subscriptions to Meta Horizon+ and Game Pass Ultimate. It also supports the use of devices like the Xbox Adaptive Controller via Bluetooth.

You can order the headset via Meta’s official website or from participating retailers like Best Buy in the US. However, “Quantities are extremely limited. Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” says Microsoft.

The house of PlayStation has swapped places with Nintendo a few times to have the highest-selling console of a particular month, sure. Xbox hardware sales continue to fall, a fact that Microsoft is not concealing. Yet none of these companies have ceased their efforts, be it in console manufacturing, first-party game development or exclusive benefits.

So what’s going on exactly? Well, Forza Horizon 5, Playground Games’ exceptional open-world racer, is finally coming to PS5 this Spring. Suddenly, rumors have emerged of various Microsoft titles making the jump, like the upcoming Fable, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Starfield, and even the long-rumored yet unannounced Gears of War Trilogy Collection. Several of these are also allegedly coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. Even something as simple as a job listing for The Initiative’s Perfect Dark stating “multi-platform” optimization could very well mean a release on non-Xbox consoles.

The proverbial floodgates are open. Chaos and pandemonium, etc. However, it actually appears to be the second stage of Microsoft’s plan – one that began a year ago with key releases. These were Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves. At the time, rumors circulated about all kinds of properties – Hellblade 2, Indiana Jonesand the Great Circle, etc. – but Microsoft announced that it would only be these titles. “Testing the waters” and whatnot.

Outside of Sea of Thieves, we don’t know how well the titles performed, but it was enough to confirm other titles as multi-platform releases like The Outer Worlds 2 and Indiana Jones. So why is Forza Horizon 5 so special?

Probably because it’s remained exclusive all this time, and now it’s finally launching for another platform. What was a big selling point of Game Pass – leading to the biggest first week for the service at one point – will now be on a rival platform. If there were rumors before of nothing being off the table, they’re pretty much a given now. The question isn’t how or why Microsoft’s exclusives will arrive on PS5 (and maybe the Switch 2) but when.

Don’t get me wrong – it would be a big deal for the likes of Halo, Gears of War, and Forza on rival platforms. At one point, there was fierce competition between Microsoft and Sony to one-up each other – see the Halo Killers, the ad lambasting the Xbox One’s original digital games policy, etc.

The fact that we’ll likely never see the likes of Horizon, God of War, The Legend of Zelda, or even Mario on Microsoft’s consoles is also worth noting. For some, the fact that Microsoft finally caved is important. You might think it’s finally acknowledged the futility of Xbox hardware – that no matter how good its games are, no one wants to buy an Xbox Series X/S when they could get a PS5 or even a Switch.

And yet, that sentiment also goes against what the company is actually saying or doing. Hardware sales are down, but Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has already said the company will continue to make Xbox consoles in the future. It’s still pouring resources into Game Pass, a service exclusive to Xbox consoles and PC, but it’s also been branching out into other platforms for a while now.

Cloud gaming continues to perform well, and it’s even available on LG Smart TVs, which isn’t surprising since Amazon Fire TV devices and Samsung 2020 and preceding Smart TVs have been supported. Believe it or not, you can even play titles on the Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro from December 2023.

All of this should make an Xbox even less essential than before, but that’s seemingly the point. As Spencer told Gamertag Radio, “In the position that I’m in, I look at hardware as a critical part of what we do, but we’re not trying to gate keep the games off of other places for the benefit of it. Let’s go build innovative hardware that people want to use to play, whether that’s in their hands or it’s on the television, or even other places.”

It’s seemingly working as a strategy – outside of Xbox Cloud Gaming, even PC Game Pass subscriptions have gone up by 30 percent in the second quarter of 2025. You could lay the success of the division on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, resulting in Microsoft becoming the biggest publisher of December, but Indiana Jones is no slouch, garnering over four million players. And even if you could point to Game Pass as the reason for both titles succeeding, that’s likely what the company wants.

Microsoft’s resulting position is thus very interesting. This isn’t like Sega back when it reeled from the disastrous performance of the Saturn and Dreamcast, going multi-platform simply because it had to survive. Instead, the Xbox brand is going beyond the original hardware (without the console necessarily being abandoned), while it accrues more revenue from competing platforms and sustains arguably the best game catalogue service currently available.

There’s plenty that could still go wrong, of course. Maybe Microsoft higher-ups will decide that the console business isn’t worth the losses and decide to axe it. Perhaps the all-in approach on Game Pass isn’t providing the requisite returns, but it’s too late to back out now. Even as it changes gears (literally and figuratively), there have still been layoffs across various departments.

However, the brand will likely continue perpetuating beyond into other spaces, perhaps even the handheld PC business (which Game Pass is performing well in). We’ve seen teases of the company potentially releasing its own handheld, thus catering to a market share unique from its console competitors.

For now, Xbox is still very much alive – it’s just transcending what a console should mean in today’s space. Sony continues to sell consoles without shipping as many triple-A first-party titles as last year showcased. Nintendo will still earn billions off the Switch 2 despite not competing with the PS5 or Xbox Series X in terms of graphical prowess (with reports indicating it’s closer to a PS4). Microsoft’s approach is still experimental, and things could shift on a dime like it did last year when it decided to go multi-platform.

The so-called glory days of the console wars are doubtless far behind. Whether it makes business sense in the long run or not for Microsoft, its approach is beneficial for gaming as a whole. However, there’s never been a wider amount of choice for games than now, regardless of which side you stand on.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

While until now Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) has only allowed users to stream games available via the Game Pass catalog, Microsoft has announced that Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will now be able to stream games that they own through TV screens and browsers on smartphones, tablets, and PCs, with support for the same also coming to the Xbox app on PC as well as Xbox consoles sometime in 2025.

This feature has been rolled out in all 28 countries where Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently available in beta. For now, 50 games support this feature, but more will become cloud-playable with time, according to Microsoft. You can view the full current list of games below.

1. Animal Well
2. Assassin’s Creed Mirage
3. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
4. Balatro
5. Baldur’s Gate 3
6. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
8. The Casting of Frank Stone
9. Cyberpunk 2077
10. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
11. Dredge
12. Dying Light 2 Stay Human
13. Farming Simulator 25
14. Fear the Spotlight
15. Final Fantasy XIV Online
16. Final Fantasy
17. Final Fantasy II
18. Final Fantasy III
19. Final Fantasy IV
20. Final Fantasy V
21. Final Fantasy VI
22. Hades
23. Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions 
24. High On Life
25. Hitman World of Assassination
26. Hogwarts Legacy
27. House Flipper 2
28. Kena: Bridge of Spirits
29. Lego Harry Potter Collection
30. Life is Strange: Double Exposure
31. Metro Exodus
32. Mortal Kombat 1
33. NBA 2K25
34. PGA Tour 2K23
35. Phasmophobia
36. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
37. Rust Console Edition
38. 7 Days to Die
39. Star Wars Outlaws
40. Stray
41. The Crew Motorfest
42. The Outlast Trials
43. The Plucky Squire
44. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
45. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
46. TopSpin 2K25
47. Undertale
48. Visions of Mana
49. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
50. WWE 2K24 

As announced by Microsoft, on October 25 – which is the day that the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches – three titles from the franchise will become playable via Xbox Cloud Gaming. More specifically, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, last year’s Callof Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and Call of Duty: Warzone natively on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Modern Warfare 3 is, of course, already available on Game Pass proper, while Black Ops 6 is set to follow suit on the day of its release later this month. Where the latter is concerned, its multiplayer and Zombies modes will only be available to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Read more on that through here.

Upon its launch later this month, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

The UI enhancements are currently available through Xbox Update Preview, and can be checked out by Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring.

As part of the new UI enhancements, Xbox Cloud Gaming will allow players to find and manage friends, start parties outside of games, continue party chats between game sessions, send messages, view the user profiles of other players, view notification inbox and toasts, and view achievements.

These features are currently available through supported browsers, the Xbox App in smart TVs, and Meta Quest headsets. It is worth noting that the ability to start parties outside of games and continue party chats between games isn’t currently available on smart TVs.

The last time we heard about Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft had announced that the service will be getting mouse and keyboard support for some games.

Not yet available to all Xbox Cloud Gaming players, the new feature is has only been rolled out to Xbox Insider members in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring for testing purposes. Once enough players have had a chance to test the feature, it will then be rolled out to the rest of the user base.

Not all games on Xbox Cloud Gaming support mouse and keyboard yet, however, and Microsoft has released a list of titles that can be played with the new control scheme. Check out the full list below. Mouse and keyboard support in Xbox Cloud Gaming will only be available through the Edge and Chrome browsers, and the Xbox app on Windows.

Microsoft has been growing the number of games available through Xbox Cloud Gaming over time, and more recently brought along Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged and Open Roads to the platform. Next month will see more games coming to the service through Game Pass, including Ark: Survival Ascended, F1 23, and Superhot: Mind Control Delete.

List of games supporting mouse and keyboard on Xbox Cloud Gaming:

• Fortnite – Browsers only
• ARK Survival Evolved
• Sea of Thieves
• Grounded
• Halo Infinite
• Atomic Heart – Known Issue: There is some difficulty switching between gamepad (controller) and Mouse and Keyboard while streaming game
• Sniper Elite 5
• Deep Rock Galactic
• High on Life
• Zombie Army 4 Dead War
• Gears Tactics
• Pentiment
• Doom 64
• Age of Empires 2