Xbox CEO Asha Sharma informed workers that Microsoft is on the brink of do one thing round Grand Theft Auto VI that “no different platform holder is doing” throughout an worker all-hands this morning. In response to sources acquainted with Microsoft’s plans, Sharma’s transient teaser was truly about Xbox managing to land a deal for sport streaming rights for Grand Theft Auto VI.
The deal will imply Xbox Cloud Gaming can stream Grand Theft Auto VI to gamers at launch, nevertheless it’s not clear how lengthy the settlement shall be in place. Rockstar Video games nonetheless hasn’t introduced a PC model of Grand Theft Auto VI, and a streaming deal would usually additionally permit Xbox to market its Xbox Cloud Gaming service to PC gamers who would in any other case want an Xbox Sequence X / S or PS5 console.
After The Verge initially reported that the deal can be unique, Xbox chief technique officer Matthew Ball revealed on X that Microsoft wouldn’t be streaming Grand Theft Auto VI completely, nor to PCs. That implies the deal is just for Xbox console streaming, and will imply the net browsers and apps that may often entry Xbox Cloud Gaming will be unable to stream Grand Theft Auto VI.
Information of the streaming rights comes round a month after Microsoft introduced some major changes to Xbox Cloud Gaming. From November, the identical month Grand Theft Auto VI releases, Microsoft is limiting streaming hours to only 15 hours for Xbox Recreation Go Final subscribers, 10 hours for Premium subscribers, and simply 5 hours for Recreation Go Important.
Microsoft can be opening up entry to Xbox Cloud Gaming with a pay-as-you-go possibility subsequent month, reasonably than being restricted to Recreation Go subscriptions. The pay-as-you-go possibility is completely timed for Grand Theft Auto VI, permitting those that don’t personal an Xbox, or who primarily play from a cellphone, to stream the sport by paying for a bundle of hours.
Through the Xbox all-hands, Sharma additionally informed workers that Undertaking Helix, the subsequent technology of Xbox {hardware}, shall be a “household of gadgets” and that Microsoft will associate with others on a few of these gadgets. Sharma first known as Helix a family of devices final month in an interview, after Microsoft and AMD introduced a “strategic multi-year partnership” final yr to work collectively on “a portfolio of gadgets,” together with Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox console.
Correction, October sixth: Xbox has clarified that its streaming deal isn’t unique and Grand Theft Auto VI gained’t be streamed to PCs.