Xbox Game Pass could let you pick which features you pay for
Microsoft is reportedly planning to let Xbox Game Pass subscribers choose which features they pay for, replacing or supplementing the service’s fixed bundles. The change could give customers more control over costs and make Game Pass more attractive, though it is unclear whether it would reverse Xbox’s wider business difficulties.
The reported à la carte options could include console games, cloud gaming and online multiplayer, with a tiered structure; details have not been confirmed. Current plans range from Essential at $10 a month, with more than 50 games, to Ultimate at $23, with over 500 games and bundled services. Xbox has also begun previewing game streaming for people without a Game Pass subscription.
In short
- Xbox may let subscribers choose individual Game Pass features.
- Reported options include games, cloud streaming and multiplayer.
- The change could give customers more control over costs.
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The case for
Letting subscribers choose features could make Game Pass better value by allowing people to pay only for what they use, while keeping access to options such as cloud gaming or online multiplayer for those who want them. More flexible plans could also attract customers put off by the cost or contents of fixed bundles and give Microsoft a way to adapt the service to different needs.
The case against
Unbundling could make the service harder to understand and leave customers paying more overall if features they value are split across separate charges. Fixed bundles can offer predictable pricing and encourage subscribers to try games or services they might not otherwise choose; a more complex menu could weaken that appeal without addressing Xbox’s wider business challenges.
Explained simply
Game Pass is Microsoft’s subscription service for Xbox games. It offers access to a changing library of titles, with different plans including different games and services; the higher-priced plans currently bundle more features.
Microsoft makes Xbox consoles and games, while subscribers pay a monthly fee to use Game Pass. The reported options could separate features such as console games, cloud gaming and online multiplayer, but the details have not been confirmed.
The issue matters to players weighing the cost of a subscription against the features they use. It also comes as Microsoft explores game streaming for people without Game Pass, raising questions about how the company will package and sell access to games.