Xbox reportedly secures exclusive GTA 6 streaming rights
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told employees at an all-hands meeting that Microsoft is getting ready to do something around Grand Theft Auto VI that "no other platform holder is doing". According to The Verge, citing sources familiar with Microsoft's plans, that brief teaser was about Xbox landing a deal for the exclusive game streaming rights for the game.
The rights start in November, when Microsoft opens up access to Xbox Cloud Gaming. The deal will mean only Xbox Cloud Gaming can stream Grand Theft Auto VI to players at launch, but it is not clear how long the agreement will be in place. Rockstar Games still hasn't announced a PC version of the game, so the deal would let Xbox market Xbox Cloud Gaming to PC players who would otherwise need an Xbox Series X / S or a PS5 console.
The news comes about a month after Microsoft announced major changes to Xbox Cloud Gaming. From November, the same month Grand Theft Auto VI releases, streaming hours will be limited to 15 hours for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, 10 hours for Premium subscribers and five hours for Game Pass Essential. Microsoft is also adding a pay-as-you-go option next month, so access is no longer limited to Game Pass subscriptions. The Verge says this option is well timed for the game: people who don't own an Xbox, or who mainly play on a phone, can stream it by paying for a bundle of hours.
At the same all-hands, Sharma said Project Helix, the next generation of Xbox hardware, will be a "family of devices", and that Microsoft will partner with others on some of them. She first described Helix that way last month in an interview. Microsoft and AMD announced a "strategic multi-year partnership" last year to work on "a portfolio of devices", including Microsoft's next-generation Xbox console.
Key facts
- Per sources cited by The Verge, Xbox has landed exclusive game streaming rights for Grand Theft Auto VI; only Xbox Cloud Gaming can stream it at launch.
- The rights begin in November, the same month the game releases, and it is not clear how long the agreement will be in place.
- From November, Xbox Cloud Gaming hours are capped at 15 for Game Pass Ultimate, 10 for Premium and five for Game Pass Essential.
- A pay-as-you-go option, due next month, lets people without an Xbox or who mainly play on a phone stream by buying a bundle of hours.
- Sharma also said Project Helix, the next Xbox hardware, will be a "family of devices", with Microsoft partnering with others on some of them.
Why it matters
Exclusive streaming rights give Xbox Cloud Gaming something no rival streaming service can offer for one of the most anticipated games. Because Rockstar Games hasn't announced a PC version, the deal would let Xbox market its cloud service to PC players who would otherwise need an Xbox Series X / S or a PS5. The timing also lines up with the new pay-as-you-go access and the tighter hour caps, both starting around the game's November release.
Who it affects
Players without a console, especially PC players and people who mainly play on a phone, are the clear target, since they can stream the game by paying for a bundle of hours. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Game Pass Essential subscribers get caps of 15, 10 and five hours respectively from November. Rival platform holders and streaming services lose the ability to stream the game at launch.
How to use it
Nothing is available yet. According to the report, from November Xbox Cloud Gaming will be the only service that can stream Grand Theft Auto VI at launch. People without an Xbox can use the pay-as-you-go option, due next month, to pay for a bundle of hours, and subscribers should plan around their hour limit.
How solid is it
The core claim rests on unnamed sources familiar with Microsoft's plans. The sources are not named, and the deal is not confirmed by Microsoft or Rockstar in the text. What is on the record is Sharma's all-hands teaser, as reported, and the previously announced hour limits and pay-as-you-go option. The Verge says the deal means only Xbox Cloud Gaming can stream the game at launch.
Risks and caveats
The length of the exclusive agreement is not given; the source says it is not clear how long it will be in place. No financial terms are given, and the source gives no Rockstar or Take-Two comment. The source does not say what the pay-as-you-go price is, so the real cost of streaming the game is unknown. It also gives no timeline for Project Helix hardware and doesn't name the partners for Helix devices.
“no other platform holder is doing”
— Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, on Microsoft's plans around Grand Theft Auto VI at an employee all-hands, as reported by The Verge