Anyone still holding on to an Xbox One now has a reason to keep it plugged in. According to Microsoft, GTA 6 will be playable on Xbox One through Xbox Cloud Gaming from November 19, the same day the game launches.
The announcement went out on November 10 on Xbox Wire, and Rockstar confirmed it in the post that opened pre-loading for the game.
How it works
On Xbox One, the game is not installed on the console. It runs on Microsoft's servers and streams over the internet, a bit like a video that responds to your controller.
According to Xbox, the cloud version uses Xbox Series S graphics settings. Rockstar notes that, as with any streamed game, connection speed and other technical factors can affect performance.
Streaming starts at 1 am ET on November 19, which is 3 am in Brasília. Cloud play will also be available on Xbox Series X|S for anyone who would rather not wait for the download.
You still need to buy the game
GTA 6 is not part of Game Pass. Xbox says the game must be purchased separately to play it through the cloud.
From November 11, players in supported markets can also buy cloud playtime without a Game Pass subscription. Microsoft did not list the countries in its announcement and says purchasing options, devices and features may vary by market.
On Xbox Series X|S, the game can also run installed on the console, and pre-loading is already open.
A ten-year partnership
In a post on X, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma presented the news as the start of a larger deal with Rockstar's parent company.
Today marks the first step in our new 10-year strategic partnership with Take-Two.
The terms of the deal have not been disclosed. According to Xbox, GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2 and more games are also set to join Xbox Cloud Gaming in the coming months.
Xbox also says GTA 6 is already the most pre-ordered game ever on the Microsoft Store. The game launches on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
