Summary
Nearly two weeks ago, Microsoft sent shockwaves through the gaming industry when it announced new upcoming changes to its Game Pass subscription service. As part of those changes, Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass received price hikes, while announcing a new tier called “Game Pass Standard,” which won’t have day one releases.Shortly after, the FTC blasted the changes, insisting that they make Game Pass a “degraded product.”
Game Pass Could Get Even More Confusing Soon
News of these purported changes comes by way of reliable insider Jez Corden of Windows Central. In a new report published Monday, Corden outlined some of the things he’s been hearing as it relates to Game Pass changes.
First, Corden says he’s heard of Microsoft introducing a Cloud-Only tier. It would be cheaper than Game Pass Ultimate, and potentially more appealing to consumers as a result. Per Corden’s reporting, the Cloud-Only tier is meant for consumers who have no interest in purchasing an Xbox series console.That development makes a ton of sense, especially in light of an Amazon Prime Day deal in which everything that’s needed to play cloud games via Fire Stick was bundled together for a low price.
Elsewhere, Corden reports thatGame Pass Friends and Family isn’t necessarily dead. While the initial experiment didn’t quite work out, there are still murmurs about a return. If it did return, though, expect a price increase to account for the other changes. Still, for a family of gamers, it would be much cheaper than individual plans.
Rounding things out is the potential for an ad-supported plan of Game Pass.Streaming services like NetflixandAmazon Prime have ad-supported tiers, as well asmusic services, like Spotify. In that vein, it’s entirely possible that Game Pass could get its own ad-supported plan down the line. That said, Corden says Microsoft is exploring the possibility, but isn’t actively looking to introduce one.
