You can do better than that
That's a fairly useful option for cloud-curious Xbox players who might not be willing to take the plunge for a monthly subscription, we imagine. But it also feels like Microsoft could come up with some more imaginative ways to use Cloud Gaming to reach casual players in new ways.
What's stopping Microsoft from offering streaming players a 30-minute timed demo stream each available Xbox Cloud Gaming title – perhaps in exchange for watching a short ad, or perhaps just as an Xbox Live Arcade-style sales tactic? Or why not offer discounted access to a streaming-only Game Pass subscription for players who want to watch occasional ads, like Netflix? Microsoft could even let players spend a few dollars to rent a digital copy of the title for a few days, much like services like iTunes do for newer movies.
These are just some ideas that come out of our heads. And they all feel potentially more impactful than using ads as a way to get Xbox players to stream copies of games they've already purchased.
In 2019, we noted how Stadia's strict buy-before-you-play streaming business model limited the appeal of what ultimately became a doomed cloud gaming experiment. Microsoft should learn from Google's failure and experiment with new ways to use streaming to reach players who may not have access to the latest high-end hardware for their gaming experiences.
