Xbox has announced some major changes to its Game Pass subscription, and truth be told, they’re so confusing that even I’m having trouble listing them all. But let’s try.
Starting in September, new members of the Xbox ecosystem will no longer be allowed to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass for the console. However, those Currently Subscribers will be able to keep their subscription, which will include the program’s catalog as well as access to games from day one, for as long as they maintain their subscription. New Xbox Game Pass users will then have the choice of several different subscription tiers, the first being Game Pass Standard. This tier will cost $15 per month and will give users access to a catalog of games and Xbox Live Gold, now called Game Pass Core. However, the Standard tier will not include any day one releases or Xbox Cloud games.
The features of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate won’t change and will still include PC Game Pass, but its price will increase to $20 per month. Similarly, PC Game Pass remains the same but will now cost $12 per month. For those just looking for online multiplayer access, Xbox Game Pass Core (formerly Xbox Live Gold) will now set you back $75 per month. And, just for good measure, Microsoft has also implemented a new rule that existing users can only accumulate 13 months of Xbox Game Pass for console, though users who have currently accumulated more than that won’t be affected.
If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is.
From its console naming convention to its subscription service pricing structure, Xbox has a history of making things overly complicated. But the big question we’re asking ourselves is: will it come back to haunt them? In this week’s Spot On, Tam and Lucy review the new pricing model and discuss whether they think Xbox is making the right choice. With thousands of layoffs and studio closures so close to them And With a new Call of Duty and a lineup of highly touted first-party games coming soon, is this the time for such a dramatic restructuring and price increase?
Spot On is GameSpot’s weekly news show where Editor-in-Chief Tamoor Hussain and Senior Producer Lucy James discuss the latest in gaming news. Given the video game industry’s fast-paced and never-ending news cycle, there’s always something to talk about. Unlike most news shows, Spot On takes a deep dive into a single topic instead of recaps of all the news. Spot On airs every Friday.