GAMES(yesterday)
Xbox Begins Testing Free Cloud Gaming With Pre-Session Ads
Microsoft is testing a new way to play on Xbox: a free, ad-supported cloud gaming tier. According to GameSpot and VGC, select members of the Xbox Insider program can now try streaming select games for one-hour sessions.
To get that free hour, players will have to watch ads first. Microsoft promises these ads will not pop up mid-game, with VGC reporting the company's focus is on not interrupting the flow of gameplay.
Kotaku notes that Xbox's justification is that 'advertising has existed in gaming for decades.' The test arrives as Eurogamer points out the company is navigating a hardware supply and affordability crisis, potentially seeking new revenue streams.
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