Merely weeks following significant changes to Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass, fresh insights have emerged hinting at possible new membership levels aiming to broaden the platform's user base. A report suggests considering options such as a cloud-focused subscription plan.
This potential plan, as per a detailed piece by Jez Corden of Windows Central, is based on insider information. He reports that Microsoft contemplates offering a cloud-centric service as an economical and more accessible alternative to the comprehensive Game Pass Ultimate.
The strategy behind this move appears to be multi-pronged. Microsoft envisions attracting individuals who are hesitant about the initial investment in gaming hardware and current owners of rival consoles who have no interest in purchasing an Xbox. Yet, they might be drawn to the versatility of the Game Pass lineup. It's also reportedly looking into providing standalone digital purchases from its cloud service to users who want permanent ownership of specific titles.
Additionally, whispers about the revival of the Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family Plan suggest Microsoft hasn't abandoned the concept, based on Corden's reference to "very tentative" speculation. This initiative would potentially allow up to five users to share access to Game Pass Ultimate at a reduced rate. Though it underwent testing from September 2022 to August 2023, it hasn't been rolled out globally. Moreover, according to Corden, Microsoft seems to have set aside, for the time being, the idea of an ad-supported Game Pass level, something it had earlier hinted at exploring.
The notion of expanding Xbox Game Pass options arises shortly after Microsoft restructured its subscription offerings. Significant developments included eliminating certain titles' day-one availability in the basic tier and general price augmentations.
In another development, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has criticized the restructured Game Pass options. In a document presented to the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the FTC branded the new services as inferior and indicative of the adverse impacts predicted from the proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition. Microsoft countered, asserting to the court that the FTC's assertions were off-base and depicted only a fraction of the agency's trial concerns about subscriptions.
Despite the contentious discussions, Microsoft has promised a wealth of new titles for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. July's lineup is set to introduce titles that run the gamut from action-adventure and role-playing games to enigmatic puzzlers and high-speed endeavors. Notable inclusions for the month are Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Dungeons of Hinterberg, Flock, The Case of the Golden Idol, and Neon White, among other anticipated games.