Xbox reportedly lands exclusive GTA 6 streaming rights

Microsoft ↗ 0.78% has reportedly locked up exclusive cloud streaming rights to Grand Theft Auto VI. If the report holds, Xbox Cloud Gaming will be the only service that can stream Rockstar Games' game when it comes out on November 19, The Verge reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with Microsoft's plans.theverge

The deal matters most for people without a console. Rockstar has not announced a PC version of GTA 6. Streaming would let people on PCs, phones and tablets play it at launch without buying an Xbox Series X/S or a PlayStation 5. Nobody knows how long the exclusivity will last, and Microsoft, Rockstar and parent company Take-Two Interactive ↘ 0.46% have not confirmed the arrangement.gtaboom+3

A "no other platform holder" move

The Verge's Tom Warren reported that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma brought up the game at an employee all-hands meeting Tuesday morning. She reportedly told staff that Microsoft was preparing something around Grand Theft Auto VI that "no other platform holder is doing". IGN said it had asked Rockstar and Xbox for comment.kotaku+2

Streaming is not the same as a native PC release. Players won't get the performance settings or mod support a PC port would offer, and the quality of their internet connection will affect image quality and input delay. Rockstar's last major game, Red Dead Redemption 2, reached PC 13 months after it launched on consoles.ign+2

Cloud changes arrive the same month

The report follows changes Microsoft announced on September 3. Starting in November, Game Pass subscribers will have a monthly cap on cloud streaming: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium and five for Essential. Right now, eligible subscribers can stream without a monthly cap. Xbox said the change would affect about 4% of subscribers. It pointed to the rising cost of running the service and said that "for some players the practical result is a higher cost".invenglobal+2

Also in November, Microsoft will open Xbox Cloud Gaming to people without Game Pass. Under a new pay-as-you-go option, players will be able to buy bundles of streaming hours for games they own. Microsoft is also testing a free, ad-supported tier with Xbox Insiders.kotaku+2

Competing with PlayStation

Sony has the marketing rights to GTA 6, and Rockstar has promoted the game with branding saying it will "play best" on PS5. In late September, The Verge reported that Xbox was worried about its share of pre-orders. Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball denied that, saying the game was breaking records on the platform.ign

At the same meeting, Sharma reportedly told staff that Project Helix, Microsoft's next generation of Xbox hardware, will be a "family of devices," and that Microsoft will build some of them with partners.theverge+1