Microsoft's five rules for ads on Xbox
In a post on Xbox Wire, Microsoft detailed the guidelines it will follow for ad-supported streaming:
Ads must create value for the player
Microsoft launched an Xbox streaming trial with advertising that will not interrupt the flow of the game
In a post on Xbox Wire, Microsoft detailed the guidelines it will follow for ad-supported streaming:
Ads must create value for the player
Microsoft launched a trial of Xbox game streaming with advertising. The company assured that the ads will not interrupt gameplay at any time.
The trial allows streaming of certain games from the library for a limited time, with ad support. It is available to Xbox Insiders.
During this trial period, Xbox Insiders with an Xbox account can stream compatible games without a subscription, for free and with ads. Sessions are limited to one hour on devices and in regions where game streaming is available.
The ads play before the session starts and do not interrupt gameplay, as emphasized by Microsoft. The core gaming experience remains unchanged.
Participation is optional. Players can choose other ways to play at any time.
The user can play after watching two minutes of ads. When the one-hour session ends, they can play again after watching another set of ads.
The player's progress continues across accounts and devices. Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming is not available without a Game Pass subscription.
Microsoft explained that the trial aims to provide more accessible ways to play on devices that people already own. It noted that the cloud can help Xbox One owners play new titles made for Xbox Series X|S without having to buy new hardware immediately.
The company emphasized that this can be relevant in places where consoles are harder to obtain or less accessible. According to Microsoft, advertising can help lower the cost of access and broaden the audience with new ways to play.
They do not interrupt the flow of the game
Ads are held to the same quality standard as content
It is always clear what is advertising
Ads fit what is expected on each platform
Microsoft indicated that it will learn from this trial and improve it based on the feedback received.
The ad-supported streaming trial comes amid price increases for consoles, pushing some models close to $1,000. Last month, Microsoft announced significant price hikes for Xbox consoles, attributed to the "component crisis."
According to a company statement, starting August 1, the price of Xbox consoles will increase by $100 for the 512GB models and $150 for the 1TB models. The 2TB model, meanwhile, will be discontinued.