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Tech News
Cloud gaming platforms from Nvidia, Microsoft, Sony and Amazon have survived a decade of tepid adoption since Google's Stadia collapsed in 2023, but rising demand for AI computing power is now driving up data center costs sharply. That surge is undermining the original pitch of cloud gaming: cheap, leased compute that let players skip expensive consoles or PCs.
Woot is selling the 2023 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $16.09 through September 13 when shoppers apply the code FIRE30 at checkout. The device supports Wi-Fi 6 and includes 2GB of memory, making it capable of running cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now.
Microsoft has begun testing several new Xbox features with Insiders, including the option to select startup animations from Xbox One through Xbox Series X/S consoles, though not the original Xbox or Xbox 360 boots. The update also adds a local search tool for games and achievements, higher-resolution Remote Play, background downloads during cloud streaming, and a Voice Clarity feature to reduce background noise in chat.
Starting in November, Microsoft will limit monthly Xbox Cloud Gaming playtime for Game Pass subscribers: five hours for Essential, 10 for Premium, and 15 for Ultimate. Once users hit these caps, they'll need to buy additional hours from the Xbox Store to keep streaming games, though downloading and playing titles locally remains unlimited. Microsoft has not yet revealed pricing for extra playtime beyond the cap.
Starting in November, Xbox will limit how many hours Game Pass subscribers can stream games via its cloud service before requiring extra purchases. Ultimate subscribers get 15 hours monthly, Premium users get 10, and Essential tier members get just five, after which additional playtime must be bought.
Microsoft is partnering with TCL to add its Xbox app to select smart TVs in the coming months, enabling access to Xbox Cloud Gaming without a console. The rollout coincides with a new pay-as-you-go cloud gaming option launching in November, which lets users stream games without an active Game Pass subscription.
Microsoft announced it will end unlimited Xbox Cloud Gaming access, replacing it with monthly hour caps tied to subscription level: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential, beginning in November. The company says rising cloud gaming costs are driving the change, and about 4% of subscribers will be affected, with an option to buy extra hours—also available to non-subscribers.
Microsoft will impose monthly streaming time limits on Xbox Cloud Gaming beginning in November, with Game Pass Essential, Premium, and Ultimate subscribers getting 5, 10, and 15 hours respectively. Both subscribers and non-subscribers will be able to purchase extra streaming hours, though exact pricing hasn't been announced. Microsoft says only about 4% of subscribers will be affected, attributing the change to rising infrastructure costs.
Microsoft will begin limiting Xbox Cloud Gaming to monthly hour caps in November: 15 hours for Game Pass Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential subscribers, after which users must purchase extra playtime. The company says only about 4% of Game Pass subscribers will be affected, and it will also let non-subscribers buy cloud hours to stream eligible owned games.
Microsoft will end unlimited cloud streaming for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, replacing it with monthly hour allotments: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential. Users who want more can buy extra cloud playtime hours through the Xbox Store, a feature now open even to people without a Game Pass subscription, including Xbox One owners wanting to try newer titles.
Microsoft announced it will cap monthly cloud streaming hours for Xbox Game Pass tiers, ending years of unlimited access. Ultimate subscribers get 15 hours, Premium gets 10, and Essential gets 5, with an option to buy additional hours once limits are reached. The change takes effect in November, and non-subscribers will also be able to purchase cloud streaming time for games they already own.
Microsoft will let anyone buy cloud gaming playtime hours through the Xbox Store starting in November, letting non-subscribers stream eligible owned games without Game Pass. At the same time, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will face a new monthly cap of just 15 cloud gaming hours, pushing heavy users toward buying extra hourly bundles. Microsoft is also testing a free, ad-supported cloud gaming tier for Xbox Insiders.