Claims have surfaced that Microsoft (MS) has secured cloud streaming exclusivity for 'GTA6' at launch. With Rockstar Games yet to announce a PC version, this would create a new access route for PC players as well.
The speculation began with internal comments at MS. According to The Verge, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told employees at an all-hands meeting on the 6th (local time) that they are preparing something regarding GTA6 that no other platform holder is doing. Industry sources subsequently claimed that the initiative in question is a cloud streaming exclusivity deal.
GTA6 is set to launch on November 19 for PS5 and XSX, and Rockstar Games has not officially announced a PC version. If the exclusivity rumor holds true, players will be able to play GTA6 via streaming on supported devices such as PCs or smartphones prior to a PC version's release.
The timing is also noteworthy. In an official announcement on September 3 (local time), Xbox revealed that starting in November, monthly time limits will be applied to Game Pass cloud gaming. Game Pass Ultimate will be limited to 15 hours per month, Premium to 10 hours, and Essential to 5 hours. Until now, subscribers were able to stream without any time restrictions.
Once the limit is reached, additional hours can be purchased from the Xbox Store. A system allowing users who do not subscribe to Game Pass to buy cloud usage hours to stream cloud-supported games they own will also be introduced around the same time.
Xbox estimates that the subscribers affected by this change represent roughly 4% of total Game Pass users. While longer playtime can drive up service costs, this suggests that few users actually used cloud services beyond the capped hours. However, if interest in GTA6 leads to a growing number of players logging extended sessions, the time limits could become a bigger burden for subscribers.
However, while GTA6's release date coincides with November, when the time limits begin, it remains unknown how these caps will be applied to GTA6. Furthermore, Microsoft, Rockstar Games, and Take-Two Interactive have not officially confirmed any exclusivity deal. Details such as the duration and financial terms of exclusivity have not been disclosed either.
Whether CEO Sharma's comments referred to this contract can only be verified once an official announcement is made. If pricing for purchasing extra hours and a list of supported games are revealed before the November overhaul, it will become easier to gauge the cost of playing GTA6 via streaming.
Meanwhile, Sony has been acting as GTA6's primary marketing partner. Multiple projections suggested that GTA6, unavailable on PC, would significantly boost PS5 sales. Since the PS5 still holds a commanding market share lead over the XSX, platform fee revenues from GTA6 sales were also expected to be substantial.
If an Xbox cloud exclusivity deal for GTA6 is confirmed, it could introduce a wildcard to those expectations.
