Microsoft has started testing a new way to access Xbox Cloud Gaming without a Game Pass subscription, allowing Xbox Insiders to purchase prepaid streaming time starting at $3.99. The new pay-as-you-go option is available from October 21, with a wider rollout planned for November 2026.
Microsoft is offering three prepaid packages at introductory prices. Players can purchase 10 hours of cloud gaming for $3.99, 25 hours for $7.99, or 50 hours for $11.99. Unlike the free, ad-supported cloud gaming option Microsoft began testing earlier this year, these paid packages offer ad-free streaming and shorter waiting times. Purchased hours also remain available until they are used, rather than expiring after a fixed period.
The new plans provide an alternative for players who want to stream supported games without paying for a monthly Game Pass subscription. Microsoft has not yet confirmed the complete list of eligible games or all markets that will receive the service when it expands in November.
The announcement also comes shortly before Microsoft introduces monthly cloud gaming limits for Game Pass subscribers. Starting in November, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers paying $22.99 per month will receive 15 hours of cloud gaming, while Premium subscribers paying $14.99 will get 10 hours. Essential subscribers, who pay $9.99 per month, will receive five hours.
Microsoft expects these limits to affect around 4% of subscribers and has said that players who reach their monthly allowance will be able to purchase additional playtime through the Xbox Store. It remains unclear whether the newly announced prepaid packages will be available as top-ups for existing Game Pass members, as Microsoft has not confirmed that detail.
At the introductory prices, the 50-hour package costs $11.99, giving players substantially more streaming time than the monthly allowance included with any Game Pass tier. However, the prepaid packages serve a different purpose. Game Pass subscriptions include access to a game library and other membership benefits, while the new time packs are intended for streaming eligible games players already own.
Microsoft describes the current prices as introductory launch pricing, meaning they could change after the initial period. Further information about availability, supported games, and how the prepaid plans will work alongside Game Pass is expected ahead of the broader November rollout.
