If you're an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you'll already know about the cloud gaming feature that comes with it. Microsoft has been really pushing for a better cloud-based experience lately, including adding games you physically own so you can stream them wherever you please. Now, the Redmond giant has raised the bar again with a new feature that lets you and your friends all join a cloud-based gaming session.

Microsoft adds multiplayer sessions for cloud-based games

As announced on the Xbox Wire, you can now invite people to join you if you're using Xbox Cloud Gaming. Unfortunately, Microsoft isn't allowing any free rides; each person you invite also has to be a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber to join you. However, if everyone is on board, getting everyone into a session is easy:

While playing a multiplayer game with Xbox Cloud Gaming, Game Pass Ultimate members can create an invite link by opening the game invite menu from the Guide or in-game, then looking for the “Anyone” tab. Copy the link and send it to your friends to join your gaming session.

From there, your friends will have two options. If they're using a device that can click on links (like a PC, laptop, or smartphone,) they can simply accept the invite and join you in your session through their web browser. On devices where you can't click on links (like a smart TV), your friends can instead open the link on a compatible device, opt to connect via another device, and then punch a code into the Xbox Guide on their TV.

The number of people you can invite depends on how many players the game supports, and you have to make sure that everyone you invite has the proper entitlements to play it, so keep that in mind. And if you haven't already, you should check out this browser plugin that's a must have for Xbox Cloud Gaming.