Xbox fans, listen up. Microsoft has just made move that is bound to raise some eyebrows. It is now testing ads before game streaming sessions as part of a new experiment for Xbox Insiders. Now if the idea of ads on Xbox sounds worrying to you, don’t hit the panic button just yet. Microsoft has also said that these advertisements will not pop up in the middle of your game or interrupt your progress. Instead, they will only appear before a cloud gaming session begins.
The company, in a blog post, said the whole idea here is to make Xbox game streaming more affordable and accessible, especially for players who may not own the latest Xbox hardware. Read on to know all about what is happening.
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The new test gives Xbox Insiders a chance to stream select games they already own for free, as long as they watch a short advertisement before the session begins. During the trial, each streaming session will be limited to one hour and will be available only in supported regions and on supported devices.
Additionally, Microsoft also clarified that the ads will only appear before a game starts. Once players enter the game, the experience will remain exactly the same, with no ad breaks or interruptions during gameplay. The company also said that this is an optional way to play, and players can continue using other methods if they prefer.
In the aforementioned blog post, Microsoft also added that advertising has been a part of gaming for years, whether through in-game product placements or free-to-play titles. The company believes that, if done properly, ads can reduce the cost of accessing games while allowing more players to try Xbox cloud gaming without buying new hardware.
According to Microsoft, the company will follow a few key principles while rolling out ad-supported services. It says the player experience will come first, ads will never interrupt gameplay, advertisements will be clearly labelled, and they will be held to the same quality standards as Xbox content.
What do you think of this move? Let us know and keep watching this space for more such updates.
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