Xbox tells existing Game Pass members its new cloud gaming cap doesn’t apply to them, but only in certain countries
Xbox is limiting cloud gaming to 15 hours per month on Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox has started telling Game Pass subscribers that its new cloud streaming caps won’t apply to them, but it seemingly only applies to those in certain countries.
Last week Xbox announced that, starting from November, it will cap the number of hours Game Pass subscribers can use cloud gaming, requiring them to buy additional play time if they go over this limit.
Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be capped at 15 hours per months, while Game Pass Premium members will be capped at 10 hours and Game Pass Essential users will be capped at 5 hours.
Now Xbox has started emailing certain Game Pass subscribers to tell them that these new caps don’t apply to them as long as they remain a subscriber.
“Recently, you may have heard about changes to how cloud gaming is included with Xbox Game Pass subscriptions,” the email reads.
“At this time, these changes will only affect new purchases and will not affect your current subscription for the market in which you reside, as long as you are on an auto-recurring plan.
“Should you choose to cancel your plan and repurchase, you will receive a set number of cloud gaming hours each month, based on your plan. If for any reason there may be changes to your existing account, we will notify you at least 60 days in advance and you will have the option to cancel or change your subscription plan at any time.”
Further reading
Players have started noting that these emails are only being sent to Game Pass subscribers in certain countries, with users on a Reddit post confirming that it has been sent to players in Australia, Brazil, Poland, Germany, but not to those in the US, Canada and United Kingdom.
This may be down to differing legal restrictions around the world – some countries may have measures in place to stop subscription terms changing like this for existing customers, or doing so without a long enough notice period.
Last week Xbox told players it had made the change “because the cost of providing cloud gaming grows as more people use it and play for longer”, and that “moving to monthly limits allows us to keep offering the service while continuing to invest in its reliability and performance”.
Adding that “we understand that for some players the practical result is a higher cost”, it also noted that the changes will affect 4% of its Game Pass subscribers based on their current usage rates.
