December 1, 2024, 10:38 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Microsoft has added another subscription option to its Xbox Game Pass. TECHBOOK explains what the new option offers, who might find it worthwhile – and who won’t.
Microsoft recently raised the prices for its gaming subscription. Now, a new subscription option has been added, while another has been dropped. The new subscription is called Xbox Game Pass Standard, and it offers many features that were also included in the discontinued subscription. However, one decisive advantage is missing.
What Game Pass Standard offers
After a seemingly short test phase, Microsoft has launched the new standard subscription for its Xbox Game Pass. Priced at 12.99 euros per month, the subscription sits in the mid-range of the gaming service’s various subscription models. In return, the previous console subscription is no longer available – Microsoft differentiates between PC and console in its offer.
Within the Xbox Game Pass Standard, users can use the online function to play multiplayer titles. There is also access to an extensive catalog of games. However, this is smaller than the console subscription previously offered. And another major advantage is missing: the Day One releases. This previously gave players access to new games as soon as they were released as part of their subscription.
Going forward, Game Pass users will have three subscription options:
- Core: At 6.99 euros a month, users gain access to a selected catalog of games and online functionality.
- Standard: Priced at 12.99 euros per month, this subscription mirrors the Core tier but with an expanded selection of games.
- Ultimate: This premium subscription, at 17.99 euros per month, offers the most extensive game library, including coveted Day One releases. There are also exclusive discounts, an EA Play membership, and cloud gaming.
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For whom is the subscription worthwhile?
Reactions to the new standard Game Pass subscription are divided. The absence of Day One releases and the more limited game selection have been particularly disappointing to users. The latter also appears to apply retroactively. Several major titles, such as Starfield, will apparently only be available to Game Pass Ultimate users in the future.