Xbox spares some existing Game Pass users from cloud gaming caps

Xbox has started emailing some Game Pass subscribers to say the new cloud gaming hour caps will not apply to their current subscriptions, but only in certain countries.

Last week Xbox announced that from November it will cap monthly cloud gaming hours, requiring subscribers to buy extra play time beyond the limit. Game Pass Ultimate members will be capped at 15 hours per month, Premium members at 10 hours, and Essential users at 5 hours.

The new emails tell recipients the changes "will only affect new purchases and will not affect your current subscription for the market in which you reside, as long as you are on an auto-recurring plan." Subscribers who cancel and repurchase will receive the capped hours. Xbox says it will give 60 days' notice of any future changes to existing accounts.

Players report the emails have gone to subscribers in Australia, Brazil, Poland and Germany, but not to those in the US, Canada and the UK. The discrepancy may stem from differing legal restrictions on changing subscription terms for existing customers.

Xbox previously said it made the change because cloud gaming costs grow as usage rises, and that the caps will affect 4% of Game Pass subscribers based on current usage.