This upcoming price hike comes just over a year after monthly prices for Game Pass Ultimate and the console plans saw a slight increase. At the time, the developer said the prices were spurred by a need to “match local market conditions.”
In response to September’s hike, the FTC decried the subscription service as a “degraded product.” With a new Standard tier that eschews day one launches for first-party games, the regulator accused it of enacting “consumer harm.”
A new report from Windows Central (spotted by VGC) claims Microsoft is preparing to introduce even more wrinkles to Xbox Game Pass.
Ahead of an additional plan and price hike for all tiers in September, it’s now claimed a cloud-only subscription is being explored. It’s expected to be cheaper and “more approachable” than Game Pass Ultimate, but a specific price range wasn’t listed.
This plan is allegedly aimed more toward non-Xbox owners, and potentially even players on other consoles. This one might also let players stream titles they already own via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Windows Central further stated the Game Pass Family plan may return. It was tested in various territories in 2022 before it was scrapped, and allowed five people to share a subscription for $25/month.
Finally, the outlet claimed to have heard Microsoft was exploring an ad-supported tier, but wasn’t actively committed to it.
Xbox Game Pass is still being played with, for better or worse
Microsoft has been trying whatever it can to bring in new Game Pass subscribers in recent years. Mainly, this has taken the form of touting big games like Starfield as day one gets, with the newest being Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
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