MSFT Stock Nears All-Time High: Xbox Moves To Secure Exclusive Rights To Stream Grand Theft Auto VI, Report Says

Microsoft is reportedly reshaping Xbox Cloud Gaming with new streaming limits and a pay-as-you-go option ahead of GTA VI’s launch.

• Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reportedly teased a move that would set Microsoft apart from other platform holders.
• Rockstar Games’ GTA VI is scheduled for release on Nov. 19 and is already one of the most anticipated entertainment releases in years.
• Retail sentiment for MSFT shifted to ‘neutral’ from ‘bullish’ on Tuesday.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is preparing to secure exclusive game-streaming rights for Grand Theft Auto VI at launch, making Xbox Cloud Gaming the only cloud service that can stream Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated title, The Verge reported Wednesday, citing sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reportedly disclosed the plan during an employee all-hands meeting, teasing that Microsoft was preparing to do something around GTA VI that “no other platform holder is doing,” according to the report. 

The deal would give Xbox Cloud Gaming exclusive streaming rights when the game launches, though the agreement's duration remains unclear.

If the plan materializes, it would give Microsoft a significant opening beyond its console base. Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.-owned (TTWO) Rockstar has yet to announce a PC version of GTA VI, meaning PC players without an Xbox Series X/S or PlayStation 5 could potentially access the game through Xbox Cloud Gaming instead, The Verge reported.

MSFT stock rose 0.2% in overnight trading late Tuesday, after closing in the green for three straight sessions. It’s now less than 4% away from its record intraday high of $550.01, which it reached in July 2025, per Koyfin data. Take-Two Interactive stock rose 0.2% overnight after slipping 0.5% during regular trading.

Microsoft To Tweak Gaming Subscription

Microsoft is preparing to change how Xbox Cloud Gaming works in November, the same month GTA VI is scheduled to launch. Beginning then, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will receive 15 hours of streaming time, while Premium and Essential subscribers will get 10 hours and five hours, respectively, according to The Verge.

Microsoft is also introducing a pay-as-you-go option for Xbox Cloud Gaming, letting users buy streaming hours without subscribing to Game Pass. 

GTA VI Hype Meets Xbox’s Broader Reset

GTA VI is scheduled for release on Nov. 19 and is already one of the most anticipated entertainment releases in years. The sequel comes more than a decade after GTA V, which became a cultural phenomenon and one of the best-selling video games ever. 

The reported streaming deal comes as Xbox undergoes a broader strategic reset. In July, Microsoft announced cutting some 3,200 jobs in the Xbox division, about a fifth of the unit, and plans to sell or spin off five of its gaming studios.

MSFT: Stock Move, Retail View

On Stocktwits, the retail sentiment for MSFT shifted to ‘neutral’ from ‘bullish’ the previous day. “$QQQ $META $MSFT $AAPL pushing up now,” a trader remarked. The retail sentiment for TTWO was ‘bearish.’

The Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ) and Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) closed at all-time high levels on Tuesday.

MSFT surged nearly 38% from July through September, marking its best quarterly performance since 1998 and the strongest gain among the Magnificent Seven during the period. Year to date, shares are up 10.1%.

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