Abstract:
According to multiple media reports citing people familiar with the matter, Microsoft has reached a cooperation agreement with Rockstar, making Xbox Cloud Gaming the only platform that can provide cloud game streaming services during the initial launch of "Grand Theft Auto 6" (GTA 6). This means that players will be able to play this highly anticipated masterpiece through the Xbox cloud gaming platform, while other cloud gaming platforms are temporarily unable to provide related services.
It is reported that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma mentioned at an internal employee meeting that the company has prepared something "no other platform party has done" around "GTA 6". People familiar with the matter later revealed that this special arrangement is the exclusive cloud game streaming rights for "GTA 6".
Neither Microsoft nor Rockstar has officially confirmed the news, so the details of the agreement are still uncertain. It’s unclear how long the exclusivity period will last, or whether players will need to purchase the game separately to play through the cloud.
If the news is true, PC players will be the most affected. Rockstar has confirmed that "GTA 6" will be launched on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms on November 19, but it has not yet announced a PC version release plan. According to past tradition, the PC version is often launched a long time after the console version is launched. Therefore, Xbox Cloud Gaming may become the only official way for PC users to experience "GTA 6" during the game's launch phase.
In addition to PC users, Microsoft is also expected to use this service to cover mobile phones, tablets, smart TVs and other devices that support the Xbox cloud gaming platform, allowing more users to experience this heavyweight work without purchasing a console.
However, this potential cooperation also coincides with a sensitive period for Microsoft to adjust its cloud gaming business. Microsoft previously announced that it will implement a new time limit scheme for Xbox Cloud Gaming starting in November. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get 15 hours of cloud gaming time per month, premium subscribers get 10 hours, and basic subscribers only get 5 hours.
For a work known for its huge open world and long game duration, such a duration limit may be exhausted quickly. Therefore, Microsoft plans to simultaneously launch an additional time purchase mechanism to allow players to purchase more cloud gaming time on demand.
At the same time, Microsoft is also preparing to launch a pay-by-hour cloud gaming model in November. Users can purchase cloud game time and access the service without subscribing to Game Pass. This new business model highly coincides with the release time of "GTA 6", so the outside world generally believes that there is a strategic synergy between the two.
Analysts believe that if Microsoft successfully obtains the exclusive rights to the "GTA 6" cloud game, it will become one of the most important content cooperation for Xbox in recent years. In the context of increasingly fierce competition in the console market, Microsoft is trying to expand user coverage through cloud gaming platforms, and "GTA 6" is undoubtedly one of the most appealing software resources.
However, as of now, the relevant news is still a report that has not been officially confirmed. As the release date of "GTA 6" approaches, whether Microsoft and Rockstar will officially announce relevant cooperation content is expected to become the focus of attention in the gaming industry in the next few weeks.
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