Microsoft caps Xbox Cloud Gaming hours for Ultimate subscribers, adds pay-as-you-go option

Microsoft will impose monthly cloud gaming hour caps: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential starting in November, with additional hours purchasable in rollover bundles. A pay-as-you-go option will also let non-Game Pass users access cloud gaming. The move, aimed at controlling rising cloud costs after a year of broader access, could push some players toward hardware upgrades or different subscriptions.