Xbox Cloud Gaming limits: 15 hours a month with Game Pass Ultimate, starting in November

Xbox Cloud Gaming is about to stop being unlimited. Starting in November 2026, every Game Pass plan comes with a set number of cloud gaming hours each month: 15 with Ultimate, 10 with Premium and 5 with Essential. Members who run out can buy more time on the Xbox Store, and for the first time, players without Game Pass will be able to pay for hours to stream games they own.

When do the Xbox Cloud Gaming limits start?

Microsoft announced the change on Sept. 3, 2026, and said only that it begins in November. As of Oct. 15, it hasn’t given an exact date. Xbox’s plan pages already list the new hours for each plan.

Until then, eligible Game Pass members can still stream without a monthly cap. Microsoft has promised to share more in November: prices, how to buy extra hours, which games qualify, which countries get the new options and how players can check how much time they have left.

How many cloud hours each Game Pass plan gets

Game Pass Ultimate includes 15 hours a month, which works out to about half an hour a day. Xbox says Ultimate also gets the best streaming quality and top priority access to streaming. Game Pass Premium includes 10 hours, and Game Pass Essential includes 5. PC Game Pass doesn’t include cloud gaming at all.

In the US, Ultimate costs $22.99 a month, Premium $14.99 and Essential $9.99, according to the Microsoft Store. PC Game Pass costs $13.99.

The hours don’t add up across subscriptions. If you get Game Pass through a partner offer and also pay for Ultimate, Xbox says only the plan with more hours counts.

Buying extra hours, and cloud gaming without Game Pass

When the included hours run out, members will be able to buy more cloud playtime on the Xbox Store. Microsoft hasn’t said what it costs, and it says hours, purchase options and cloud gaming features may vary by market. In the preview screen Microsoft shared, the Game Pass page shows how much playtime is left, with a button to add more and a note that purchased playtime stays until it’s used.

The second change opens the service to people without a subscription. Starting in November, anyone will be able to buy cloud playtime hours and stream eligible games they own on supported devices. Microsoft pitches it for occasional players and for Xbox One owners, who can stream games built for Xbox Series X|S without buying a new console.

Why Microsoft is limiting cloud gaming

Microsoft says the cost of running cloud gaming grows as more people use it and play for longer, and that monthly limits let it keep the service going while investing in reliability and performance. It expects the change to affect 4% of Game Pass subscribers and calls it a meaningful change for players who spend a lot of time in the cloud. Microsoft doesn’t hide what that means for them: “We understand that for some players the practical result is a higher cost.”

Microsoft says it will listen to player feedback before and after the change and share any adjustments it makes.

2020 Samsung TVs lose the Xbox app on Nov. 3

A separate change hits some smart TV owners first. Microsoft has told owners of 2020 Samsung Smart TVs that the Xbox app stops being supported on those models on Nov. 3, 2026. Its reason: updates to its cloud gaming technology are no longer compatible with the software those TVs run. Samsung TVs from 2021 and later keep the Xbox app.

Where you can play Xbox Cloud Gaming now

Xbox Cloud Gaming runs on Windows PCs, Apple and Android phones and tablets, Xbox consoles, select LG, Samsung and VIDAA smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, select Meta Quest headsets and handhelds like the ROG Xbox Ally X20. You need a controller over Bluetooth or USB, though some games support touch controls, and Xbox recommends at least 10 Mbps, or 20 Mbps on consoles, PCs and tablets.

You can also stream select games you own that aren’t in Game Pass, and Xbox’s page still says supported free-to-play games like Fortnite need only a free Microsoft account. Microsoft hasn’t said how the November limits apply to those.

This page is updated as soon as Microsoft announces the start date and the price of extra cloud playtime.