Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, informed employees that Microsoft is preparing to do something about Grand Theft Auto VI “that no other platform holder is doing” at a general meeting of employees this morning. According to sources close to Microsoft, Sharma's short teaser actually covered Xbox's gain of a gaming streaming rights deal. Microsoft acquired streaming rights for Grand Theft Auto VI, in conjunction with the opening of access to Xbox Cloud Gaming in November 2026. The deal will allow Xbox Cloud Gaming to transmit Grand Theft Auto VI to players at launch, but it is not clear how long the deal will last. Rockstar Games has not yet announced a PC version of Grand Theft Auto VI and a streaming deal would normally allow Xbox to market its Xbox Cloud Gaming service even to PC players who would otherwise need an Xbox Series X/S or PS5 console. After the original reporting of The Verge that the deal would be exclusive, Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball revealed on X that Microsoft will not broadcast Grand Theft Auto VI exclusively or PCs. This suggests that the deal is simply for streaming on Xbox consoles and could mean that web browsers and apps that can access Xbox Cloud Gaming will not be able to broadcast Grand Theft Auto VI. The news of streaming rights arrives about a month after Microsoft announced some important changes to Xbox Cloud Gaming. As of November, in the same month that Grand Theft Auto VI will be released, Microsoft will limit its 15-hour streaming for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, 10 for Premium subscribers and only 5 for Game Pass Essential subscribers. Microsoft is also opening access to Xbox Cloud Gaming with a pay-as-you-go option next month, rather than being limited to Game Pass subscriptions. This pay-as-you-go option is perfectly synchronized with Grand Theft Auto VI, allowing those who do not own an Xbox or who mainly play from phone to pass the game by paying a package of hours. During the general meeting of Xbox employees, Sharma also informed the employees that Project Helix, the next generation of Xbox hardware, will be a “family of devices” and that Microsoft will collaborate with others on some of these devices. Sharma had first defined Helix as a family of devices last month in an interview, after Microsoft and AMD announced a "multiannual strategic partnership" in the field of work along with "a portfolio of devices", including the next-generation Xbox console of Microsoft. Correction, 6 October: Microsoft has clarified that its streaming agreement is not exclusive and Grand Theft Auto VI will not be broadcast to PCs. VERDETTO: MISTO Microsoft sta dando un colpo di mano a Xbox Cloud Gaming con l’accordo di streaming per Grand Theft Auto VI, ma le restrizioni sulle ore di gioco e il pay-as-you-go suggeriscono una strategia più controllata e limitata rispetto a quanto alcuni potrebbero sperare. L'ottenimento dei diritti esclusivi di streaming è sicuramente un passo significativo, soprattutto alla luce delle recenti modifiche alle politiche di streaming per Game Pass Ultimate, ma le restrizioni sulle ore e l’introduzione del pay-as-you-go sollevano dubbi sulla vera accessibilità del gioco e sul modello di business a lungo termine di Xbox Cloud Gaming. Il fatto che l'accordo non comprenda la versione PC di GTA VI conferma una chiara focalizzazione sull'esperienza console, il che potrebbe essere un ostacolo per alcuni giocatori, soprattutto considerando la possibilità di sfruttamento da parte di Xbox Cloud Gaming su altri dispositivi, come precedentemente ipotizzato. La decisione di limitare le ore di streaming sta anche indicando una preoccupazione da parte di Microsoft riguardo alla sostenibilità dell’offerta e al potenziale impatto sul lungo termine sull'utenza, misure che sicuramente non entusiasmano tutti i fan del genere.
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