Another week could bring another industry-shaking change to Xbox Game Pass. Following the launch of Game Pass on Amazon Fire TV devices earlier this month and its subsequent price increase, new reports suggest that Microsoft may be further enhancing its cloud gaming offerings. [An article by Windows Central reporter Jez Corden raises the possibility that the Redmond giant is exploring a new, cloud-only Game Pass tier. We're told that Microsoft is aiming for a cloud-only subscription that is cheaper and easier to purchase than Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It's designed around users who simply aren't interested in buying an Xbox console, which could include competing console platforms.”

Corden further stated that he believes this may give Microsoft the opportunity for gamers to “buy twice” by having them purchase digital titles as part of the rumored cloud-only subscription tier.

Windows Central previously reported that Phil Spencer (CEO of Microsoft Gaming) wants to make games already owned by Xbox players eligible for Game Pass. However, this depends on the iconic company's success in striking a deal with the license holders of these games. This does not sound like a far-fetched idea, especially since it is common for titles to disappear from Game Pass.

Another claim Corden makes is that he has heard “very tentative rumors that the Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family Plan attempt is not dead. In case you forgot, the service was tried in August 2022 and allowed up to five people to share an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account.

Although it was discontinued the following September, it could be more cost-effective for the company if Microsoft decides to try it again. In particular, Ultimate has just been raised from $16.99 to 19.99 pesos/m in the US, from £12.99 to 14.99 pesos/m in the UK, and to 22.95 pesos/m in Australia (up from a monthly fee of A$19.95).

Corden's final potential bombshell. This reporter says he has heard that Microsoft is considering introducing an ad-based game pass tier, but he quickly claims that the company is “not actively working towards an ad-based game pass tier.”

Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming is only available to Ultimate subscribers and not to the newly named Xbox Game Pass Standard. The basic tier appears to be an increasingly lopsided deal for Xbox players. This is because they will no longer have first-day access to new games, which has been the service's biggest selling point. This means that in order to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which will be released on October 24, you will need to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate.

I have owned an Xbox Series X since its launch in November 2020 and am concerned about the speculation that is swirling around it. The big problem I see is that the current Xbox Cloud Gaming kinda sucks. It suffers from artifacts and input lag and is limited to 1080p and 60fps. I played a few times on my 1GB fiber optic connection and the experience was subpar to say the least. [I can play the best Xbox Series X games on my Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU through my Game Pass for PC subscription. If a cloud-only service is launched, I have to imagine it will target gamers who want to stream games on their phones. I am not criticizing those who choose such a path. What I am saying is that if you intend to stream Xbox titles on your smartphone, you should consider purchasing a device like the Razer Kishi V2 Pro. Speaking of which...

Right now, the Razer Kishi V2 Pro Mobile Gaming Controller Xbox Edition for Android is available on Amazon for $81. 0]

As someone who has been playing Xbox games since 2002, well, I am getting old and cannot recommend the current Xbox Cloud Gaming. Namely, GeForce Now Ultimate, Nvidia's top-rated streaming subservice is the best I've ever used. It supports up to 4K resolution and up to 240 fps, putting Microsoft's cloud gaming attempts to shame. Here's what the cloud-based RTX 4080 GPU can do.

Streaming Game Pass titles via GeForce Now directly from the game's official Microsoft page, in a rather suggestive move that suggests the Xbox division is aware that the streaming platform is not up to snuff. The fact that there is an option is very telling. My hope is that Team Green may assist Microsoft in improving the technical quality of Xbox Cloud Streaming now that Microsoft and Nvidia have signed a 10-year partnership.

Whatever happens in the future, even the most casual fan of Microsoft's games is bound to be better than the status quo that Xbox Cloud Gaming is in. If the “house that Bill built” can significantly improve the quality of streaming services, I think the rumored idea of a cloud-only Game Pass tier would be less offensive.

That said, here and now I will continue to kick the Covenant's butt with “Halo Infinite” using one of the best gaming PCs available, the Xbox app.