Xbox is testing an optional ad-supported cloud gaming service for Xbox Insiders, allowing players to stream selected owned games free in one-hour sessions after watching adverts. The company says the trial could help people access newer games on devices they already own, particularly where consoles are difficult to find or unaffordable, though the move also raises concerns about advertising being introduced around games players have already bought.

Microsoft says adverts will run before sessions rather than interrupt gameplay, and that players can continue using other ways to play. The test is aimed at enabling weaker hardware, such as Xbox One consoles, to stream games designed for Xbox Series X/S, amid rising console prices and component costs; Microsoft increased console prices last month, citing higher memory costs. Xbox argues that advertising can lower barriers to access, but the article questions how pre-session adverts provide value to owners of the games.