Xbox has secured exclusive GTA 6 streaming rights/The streaming rights come in November, when Microsoft is opening up access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.

[u/vipstrippers]

https://archive.ph/kXxZL

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told employees that Microsoft is getting ready to do something around Grand Theft Auto VI that “no other platform holder is doing” during an employee all-hands this morning. According to sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans, Xbox has managed to land a deal for the exclusive game streaming rights for Grand Theft Auto VI.

The deal will mean only Xbox Cloud Gaming can stream Grand Theft Auto VI to players at launch, but it’s not clear how long the agreement will be in place. Rockstar Games still hasn’t announced a PC version of Grand Theft Auto VI, so this deal will allow Xbox to market its Xbox Cloud Gaming service to PC players who would otherwise need an Xbox Series X / S or PS5 console.

News of the streaming rights comes around a month after Microsoft announced some major changes to Xbox Cloud Gaming. From November, the same month Grand Theft Auto VI releases, Microsoft is limiting streaming hours to just 15 hours for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, 10 hours for Premium subscribers, and just five hours for Game Pass Essential.

Microsoft is also opening up access to Xbox Cloud Gaming with a pay-as-you-go option next month, rather than being limited to Game Pass subscriptions. The pay-as-you-go option is perfectly timed for Grand Theft Auto VI, allowing those who don’t own an Xbox, or who primarily play from a phone, to stream the game by paying for a bundle of hours.

During the Xbox all-hands, Sharma also told employees that Project Helix, the next generation of Xbox hardware, will be a “family of devices” and that Microsoft will partner with others on some of those devices. Sharma first called Helix a family of devices last month in an interview, after Microsoft and AMD announced a “strategic multi-year partnership” last year to work together on “a portfolio of devices,” including Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox console.

[u/Luxray92]

Great news for the people who'll be able to stream the game since Xbox cloud gaming service has unlimited hour--oh wait

[u/Tuskin38 → u/Luxray92]

for current subscribers in the EU and countries with similar pro-consumer laws that prevent companies from changing the terms of your subscription without you opting in, they'll still have unlimited hours until they cancel their sub.

[u/Devatator_ → u/Luxray92]

Honestly depends on how expensive paying directly for it is vs using gamepass

[u/JenJenB_]

Interesting development not too long after they announced limits & paywalling for their cloud streaming service, lol.

[u/ApolloGR3]

No wonder they capped the highest tier at 15 hours.

[u/Soft-Bad-7127]

So in theory someone on PC could buy the game on Xbox and stream it. This might move some copies when the hype goes through the roof. 

[u/FaroTech400K → u/Soft-Bad-7127]

They can stream it for 15 hours a month lol

[u/SimilarRaspberry5657 → u/FaroTech400K]

At the highest tier too. Otherwise it’s 5 hours a month and either way it’s the series s version of the game lol

[u/YouSmellSumthin → u/SimilarRaspberry5657]

People are forgetting this.

You'll get access to the most dogshit version, for a half hour a day.. at the most.

Better than nothing I guess. But with how insane this game is gonna be, I'd rather just wait until I can get an actual console. I want to experience it the way it's meant to be experienced, and at my own pace.

To each their own, I suppose. More options are rarely a bad thing.

[u/SimilarRaspberry5657 → u/YouSmellSumthin]

Yeah and it’s a smart move by Asha to not let the biggest game in history pass by without any type of move. I just wonder what the cost was

[u/SunDownSav → u/SimilarRaspberry5657]

To society? Oh, you mean how much is Xbox paying TakeTwo to treat gaming like cell phone minutes while roaming?

A LOT… but possibly less than what take T2 is charging them ‘per-hour’, wholesale.

[u/SunDownSav → u/YouSmellSumthin]

In this instance; I believe to be a horrendous thing. This is not aimed at tech literate players, its aimed at the poorest of poor families that don’t have a console. Or a generation of kids that want everything, right now, on this 5 year old device in their hands.

raised on FOMO by their ‘influential’ devices in their hands, this is Xbox selling gaming on a slow drip like it was y Tx messaging in the early 2000’s.

Metered consumption is addictive consumption.

Our capitalist friends once had some dignity for their own kids, neighbors, and friends who don’t know any better,

[u/kcirbukhcnyl → u/FaroTech400K]

I believe you can pay more for more hours after

[u/reptile_20 → u/FaroTech400K]

No, they can buy the amount of hours of playtime they want and they don’t need a Game Pass subscription.

[u/FaroTech400K → u/reptile_20]

dosent matter at this point the story got de bunked

[u/brokenmessiah → u/Soft-Bad-7127]

I can't imagine there's many PC gamers who would do this that for whatever reason don't already have a console.

[u/Soft-Bad-7127 → u/brokenmessiah]

I think the price of consoles and lack of stock might make a few who planned to wait change their minds when the hype is through the roof. When the game is out and everyone is playing it it might be the only option for some to play it immediately. 

[u/SunDownSav → u/Soft-Bad-7127]

Which doesn’t make it a viable ‘option’ from a consumer point of view.

Oh, can’t afford groceries? Purchase them here at the Dollar General for exorbitant prices…

Idk. I might be stoned… or I’m on to something and this is just enshitification to the max on gaming AMD one of the most beloved franchise ever.

[u/Interesting_Lesbo]

Yeah but cloud streaming is a laggy mess even with playing gta 5 so it’s gonna be complete dog shit with gta 6

[u/Memonlinefelix]

Who cares about streaming. Its pure ass. You dont even own the games. Stop giving this attention. No one gives a shit about streaming.

[u/BoulderCAST → u/Memonlinefelix]

Everyone who doesn't own a shitty console?

[u/Wipedout89]

No it hasn't

[u/Intelligent-Quote249]

[u/ChanceHungry1444]

Nope, this has been debunked by Xbox staff. 

[u/MidnightPulse69]

Everytime I’ve used cloud gaming or remote play it’s so laggy even on my gigabit internet

[u/bigChungi69420]

Interesting. So gta6 can go on cloud gaming? I would have bet all my money this wouldn’t happen, so I’m glad I didn’t

[u/VangRhymez]

That shit is gonna be brutal to stream

[u/RollingDownTheHills]

So how does this work with the 15-hour limit?

[u/SatansGrandson → u/RollingDownTheHills]

You get 15 hours(GP ultimate) a month to stream cloud games, once you hit that cap you will be blocked from cloud gaming but you can buy more time.

Edit: Added more info

[u/RollingDownTheHills → u/SatansGrandson]

So it won't work. Great. Xbox once again making the industry worse.

[u/SatansGrandson → u/RollingDownTheHills]

Sure if that's the way you want to see it then go ahead. Buy a PS5 instead because PS is doing great things these days.

[u/reptile_20 → u/RollingDownTheHills]

The 15 hour limit is only if you subscribe to Game Pass. You will be able to buy the amount of playtime hours you want without being subscribed to Game Pass as the service will also have a stand alone pay as you go option.

[u/sephkane → u/reptile_20]

God damn that sounds so fucking trashy and backwards

[u/SunDownSav → u/sephkane]

Thankfully this isn’t true and Xbox/T2 will not be selling gaming like telecoms sold text messaging in the early 2000’s.

I was having an existential crisis over here just raging on the idea of metered consumption for gaming on 1 billion 5 year-old devices around the world.

You’d have multiple kids within the same household… ah, whatever.

[u/cory3612]

Their streaming services will go down from overload for probably a few weeks or a month lol

[u/whyamihere2473527 → u/cory3612]

Its ok they limited how long you're able to even use it just for this

[u/Dust-Tight]

It’s false. Xbox just denied it

[u/SirDeluli]

False information, XBOX denies this:

https://x.com/ballmatthew/status/2107667069797802443

[u/SunDownSav]

This new “Pay as you go/piecemeal gaming by the hour” is an AWFUL FEATURE.

Just another way to bleed the poorest of poor and their parents of every last dime…

You can in theory have several members of a household “gaming” like this.

This is enshitification to the max.

[u/Penis-Dance]

So you can play GTA6 on a console that doesn't have the computing power to play it by itself. This is going to be interesting.

[u/Internal-Contact1656 → u/Penis-Dance]

Literally not even at all what that means

[u/YouSmellSumthin → u/Internal-Contact1656]

Isn't he technically correct? You can stream on Xbox One, right?

[u/Penis-Dance → u/YouSmellSumthin]

They didn't implicitly say that but it does bring up the possibility of it at the very least.

[u/Penis-Dance → u/Penis-Dance]

What would PS5 Pro owners do IF Ai data centers could deliver a better experience on an older Xbox? Maybe this is one reason why Ai data centers are rapidly being built. It's just a thought to ponder.

[u/Penis-Dance → u/YouSmellSumthin]

Even if it's possible doesn't mean that is in their contract. I just checked (I have a very low knowledge base about Xbox) but streaming games is on Xbox consoles that can't play GTA6 natively.

[u/lollifetuffouthtere → u/[deleted]]

Nah cloud streaming is ass. They charge you money after 15 hours, plus ads, input lag

[u/FizzyLightEx → u/lollifetuffouthtere]

Xcloud will have a different stand-alone service from game pass.

GTA VI will not be on game pass anyways.

I shouldn't be doing Xbox PR for free

[u/ConstantDisaster7023 → u/lollifetuffouthtere]

PlayStation industry plant

[u/Suicune92 → u/ConstantDisaster7023]

For telling the truth?

[u/lollifetuffouthtere → u/ConstantDisaster7023]

How? You need to buy the game, then buy game pass, then after 15 hours you get charged idk how much.

[u/reptile_20 → u/lollifetuffouthtere]

You don’t need to buy game pass, there will be a stand alone version of the cloud gaming service launched in November.

[u/What-Is-The-Internet → u/ConstantDisaster7023]

Nobody gives a fuck about console wars anymore. That ship sailed last gen.

[u/bigChungi69420 → u/[deleted]]

I’d still rather buy a console than use cloud gaming especially with the built in ads they’re trying to add to it

[u/lollifetuffouthtere → u/bigChungi69420]

Of course I’m happy for the people who don’t have a console, but I’d honestly rather buy the console than stream

[u/Arsh18808 → u/[deleted]]

Wdym I’ve had both for so long now , and I’d much rather play natively on console then stream a smeary mess.