Microsoft has begun testing a free, ad-supported game streaming option through its Xbox Insider program, giving a limited group of players a look at what cloud gaming might look like without a subscription fee.
According to a report by CNET, testing began Thursday for Xbox Insiders. The feature lets players stream select games they already own at no additional cost. Before each session begins, a set of ads plays. Players then have an hour-long window to play the game.
Microsoft framed the addition as a way to expand access to its platform. "It creates another way for players to get into games without an upfront streaming purchase and expands audiences through new ways to play," the company said in a post on Xbox Wire.
It is not yet clear whether the one-hour session length and pre-game ad format will remain the standard after testing ends, or whether Microsoft will adjust the structure based on feedback.
Current Xbox Game Pass subscribers who already have access to streaming will not see ads during the testing period, but they can opt in to the ad experience voluntarily if they want to understand how the feature works.
The test comes during a difficult stretch for Microsoft's gaming division. When President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs affecting gaming hardware in April 2025, Microsoft announced the following month that it would raise the price of its Xbox Series consoles. The company has since raised console prices a second time, and a third increase is set for August 1, tied to an ongoing memory shortage.
Xbox Game Pass subscription prices also rose last October, though the company reduced them again in April. Leadership of the Xbox division changed as well, with longtime head Phil Spencer replaced by Asha Sharma.
Earlier this month, Microsoft laid off thousands of workers and announced plans to sell four of its game studios: Double Fine, Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, and Compulsion Games. The moves have raised questions among players about the long-term direction of the Xbox platform.
Microsoft said in March that it still plans to release its next console in 2027. The ad-supported streaming test represents one of several moves the company is making to reach players who may not be willing or able to pay for hardware or subscriptions at current prices.
