Gaming is one of the last mediums free of ads, but that could change sooner than you might think. Microsoft is currently planning to implement a free to play tier with ads in its cloud streaming service.
Gaming is one of the last mediums free of ads, but that could change sooner than you might think. Microsoft is currently planning to implement a free to play tier with ads in its cloud streaming service.
What Is Cloud Gaming?
Xbox Cloud Gaming launched in 2020. Since then, people who own Game Pass Ultimate have been able to stream games on their devices. Cloud gaming enables users to play demanding video games on devices that are not capable of running those games on their own. For some free to play titles like Fortnite, you can even play without a subscription.
Cloud gaming was meant to make gaming more accessible for everyone, everywhere, on any device. However, Xbox could change the meaning of “free to play” with this move. This could be the first step toward ads in video games.
Microsoft’s New Plan For Cloud Gaming
In the future, it could very well be the case that you have to watch ads before a round of Fortnite. Microsoft is reportedly working on a free but ad supported tier of Xbox Cloud Gaming. Players in this ad supported tier would only have access to a limited selection of titles rather than the full Game Pass catalog. Each session reportedly begins with around two minutes of advertising, lasts up to one hour, and may be subject to a monthly cap on total playtime.
Xbox might want to acquire new customers through this model. They lower the entry barrier and upsell the premium tier, which makes sense considering the recent price increase of Xbox Game Pass.
Players Push Back
Following reports about Microsoft’s plans, the gaming community is not happy. The recent price increase of Xbox Game Pass had already made gamers furious. Now the community fears that this could be just the beginning of ads in gaming, and rightfully so. After the introduction of ads on YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, users fear that gaming could be next.
“The issue is that ads will make their way into the full priced tiers."
“Sorry squad I can’t play another match just yet, I need to watch another 5 minutes of gambling ads”
“If increasing Game Pass prices was the last straw for me, I do not know what this is.”
Is There Something Positive About This?
Of course, ads in video games are bad news for players because no one wants to watch commercials before starting a match. But there is also a possible upside. A free ad supported tier could make gaming more accessible than ever before. It could give millions the chance to experience games they would otherwise never play, especially for people who can only afford to play if it does not require buying a console or a subscription. But these advantages could quickly disappear if advertising spreads beyond this free tier and starts creeping into the games themselves.
So What Now?
For now, Microsoft's ad supported tier is still in testing and nothing is confirmed for a public release. However, these plans coming right after the price increase of Xbox Game Pass leave gamers angry and concerned. On one hand, this could be a great opportunity for millions to try cloud gaming. On the other hand, this could be the beginning of the end, the end of an ad free gaming environment.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
