Microsoft Secures GTA 6 Streaming Rights Amid Cloud Gaming Overhaul
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Xbox will offer streaming for the highly anticipated Rockstar Games title, but new hourly limits and hardware shifts raise questions about the experience.
Microsoft has secured a deal to stream *Grand Theft Auto VI* via Xbox Cloud Gaming at launch, according to reporting from The Verge. During an employee all-hands meeting, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told staff that the company is preparing for something with the title that "no other platform holder is doing."
While initial reports suggested an exclusive deal, Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball clarified on X that the streaming rights are not exclusive. Ball further noted that the game will not be streamed to PCs, suggesting the deal is limited to Xbox console streaming and may exclude the apps and web browsers typically used for the service.
This move coincides with a significant restructuring of Xbox Cloud Gaming starting in November, the same month *Grand Theft Auto VI* releases. Microsoft is implementing streaming hour caps for subscribers: 15 hours for Game Pass Ultimate, 10 hours for Premium, and five hours for Game Pass Essential. To accommodate non-console owners and mobile players, Microsoft is also introducing a pay-as-you-go option for purchasing bundles of streaming hours.
Beyond the cloud, Sharma highlighted "Project Helix," described as a "family of devices" representing the next generation of Xbox hardware. This follows a strategic multi-year partnership announced last year between Microsoft and AMD to develop a portfolio of devices, including the next-generation console.