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Conina on 24 July 2026
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KManX89 said:

Xbox is now testing ad-breaks for cloud-streaming games you already own.

Basically, you will get ads before you start every game and ad-breaks every hour into gaming sessions, basically what Prime Video does, literally interrupting movies and shows with ads. And this is for non-Pass subscribers, although to be fair, it’s a free ads version for cloud streaming. 

So, it looks like my worst fear is coming true then for Sony going digital-only? They will literally charge you subscription tiers to remove ads in games you already pay a subscription to rent.

Did you read (and understood) the article?

  • You can still play your own Xbox games ad-free rendered on compatible hardware (Xbox consoles or PC)
  • You can still stream your own Xbox games ad-free with a subscription which includes the streaming option (on compatible and incompatible hardware)

Now they are adding a third option: stream your Xbox games (on compatible and incompatible hardware) without paying for a subscription

The alternative before was: don't play your Xbox games if you don't have the compatible hardware anymore. 

Again you try to connect the ad-problem to the physical <> digital debate, while the distinction ain't between physical and digital games but between locally computing/rendering on own hardware and streaming (computing/rendering on a server).

Last edited by Conina - on 24 July 2026