Xbox Starts Testing Free Ad-Supported Xbox Cloud Gaming - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 23 July 2026 / 2,946 Views
Xbox announced it has begun testing free ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming with Xbox Insiders.
The test period will let Xbox Insiders to stream games they own for free with ads. Players will have a one hour session limits across supported devices and regions.
Ads will play before sessions begin, which will mean the core game experience will be unchanged. This is optional as players can choose others ways to play at any time.
Read details below:
Today, we’re starting to test an ad-supported way to stream select games from your library for a limited time, available to XBOX Insiders.
During this test period, XBOX Insiders with an XBOX account will be able to stream games they own for free with ads. Players will have one hour session limits across supported devices and regions.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Ads will play before sessions begin.
- The core game experience is unchanged.
- This is optional. Players can choose other ways to play at any time.
For many players, the device they already own now allows them to stream games with XBOX. Cloud can also help XBOX One owners play newer games built for XBOX Series X|S without needing to purchase new hardware right away. That can be especially meaningful in places where consoles are harder to find or less affordable, giving more players another way to access great games on devices they already have.
Advertising has existed in gaming for decades, from in-game placements to free-to-play models. But it hasn’t always been built with the player in mind. When done well, advertising can help lower the cost of access. It creates another way for players to get into games without an upfront streaming purchase and expands audiences through new ways to play.
For brands, this only works if showing up here adds to the experience, not takes away from it.
Given that, we want to be clear about how we will approach ad-supported services across XBOX:
- We start with the player. Ads should create value.
- We do not interrupt the flow of gameplay.
- We hold ads to the same quality bar as our content.
- We’re clear about what’s advertising.
- We make sure ads fit what players expect on each platform.
We’ll learn from this test and continue to improve it based on how players use it and what they tell us. Our goal is simple. Give more people more affordable ways to play.
How to Get XBOX Insider Support and Share Your Feedback
Thanks to XBOX Insiders for all of the feedback. You can also visit aka.ms/XBOXplayervoice to share what you think.
If you’re an XBOX Insider looking for support, please join our community on the XBOX Insider subreddit. Official XBOX staff, moderators, and fellow XBOX Insiders are there to help. We recommend adding to threads with the same topic before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can!
If you aren’t part of the XBOX Insider Program yet and want to help create the future of XBOX and get early access to new features, join the Program today by downloading the XBOX Insider Hub for XBOX Series X|S & XBOX One or Windows PC. For more information on the XBOX Insider Program, follow us on Twitter at @XBOXInsider and keep an eye on this blog for all the latest news.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
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Don't buy our games..... don't buy our console, rent our servers, pay our upkeep/maintenance/electricity ect with Ads ? Who here believes that model will work? I have a bridge to sell you.
This model people say doesn't work has been happening for about a decade now. And at the very least, I expect MS will keep selling games and perhaps keep Gamepass operating. While their hardware may become PC focused.
Honestly, what part of that upsets you?
Glad they are going the extra mile to make this a better experience, curated ads instead of ads for cheap mobile games, ads play only before a playtime session and won't interrupt gameplay, ads designed for the platform you are playing on, so on Xbox you will get ads for other Xbox games for instance.
Gaming is truly dying.
That's Microslop being Microslop. You can expect the likes of EA following suit, but I doubt we will see that in any game distributed by a good publisher.
Sony and Microsoft are just taking turns seeing who can kick you the nuts the hardest
Ads while using services for free? This is truly late stage capitalism. RIP in peace, gaming. sad face
Sure, it was only a silly horse armor dlc, what could it turn into?
Pretty sure you have heard about Netflix, people used to pay to not see ads, now either they pay even more or they still see ads while paying the base sub.
What could ever go wrong with ads creeping into gaming, the last place for it to destroy and make you pay ever more and more to circle it around...
I believe Netflix with ads is like $9, by modern standards that's not bad. Either way, I believe a lot of streaming services have been kinda stagnant in growth. Ultimately, if the value isn't good people just go away or don't bother.
If Gamepass offered a solution that was $9 and gave you a ton of games to stream, that would actually be a fantastic deal. Even if you have to periodically see an ad.
While I agree with your sentiment that companies have abused micro transactions. I've also found a great solution to save money and get more content, not buying games at full price. It saves me hundreds of dollars annually.
One hour gaming sessions, what a load of rubbish.
not that different from the way PS+ does game trials.
Its... Free
The paid streaming service doesnt have ads or a time cap
Then buy the game. Problem solved.
Gamepass Ultimate has maintained 30+ million subscribers. Maybe this is also intended for users to test the service and potentially get more people subscribed.
Wow, sounds like a win-win solution........ the only time i've ever thought highly of anything that XBOX has done with regards to innovation
I just don't see how a few ads can pay for that upkeep.... I think this will be another model that fails, and ends up costing them.
It's a free ad tier. If you don't want to use it, then sub to one of the other tiers like they have always offered. It really doesn't change anything besides giving an free option which I think good thing.
I do wonder how it will work during a multiplayer session. Possibly option is to give a 10 minute warning while giving the choice to start the ad once you finish the match. Play the ad anytime before the countdown finishes so you don't have to waiting for the count down to finish or happen while you're playing a match.
Your many turn to none, to nothing!
