Summary
Prior to the latest round of changes, Xbox gamers had a few different options when it came to Xbox Game Pass. There was Xbox Game Pass Core,formerly known as Xbox Live Gold, which gave users access to online multiplayer and a curated selection of games from the Game Pass library. Standard Xbox Game Pass lacked online multiplayer functionality, but it included day one releases and access to all console Game Pass games. PC Game Pass, meanwhile, was exactly as it sounded - Xbox Game Pass, but for PC. And finally, there was Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. As the priciest version of Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate comes with all the benefits of the previous tiers, plus exclusive perks and discounts.
Xbox Game Pass Price Increases
Coupling the Xbox Game Pass day one release changes with price increases has understandably upset Xbox fans. Those that have been using Microsoft Rewards points to redeem Xbox Game Pass have also been frustrated, but more due to mixed messaging about the service’s future. Microsoft Rewards changes in recent months have proven highly controversial, and to make matters worse, some users were sent messages that implied it wouldno longer be possible to redeem Game Pass using Microsoft Rewards. Luckily, it seems that was a miscommunication. Itlookslike Microsoft Rewards can still be used to redeem Game Pass, though the prices for that have increased as well. This is inconvenient for those that had auto-redeem set up through Microsoft Rewards, but at least the option is still available for now.
Big Xbox Game Pass Games Are Still Coming in 2024
BothAvowedfrom Obsidian Entertainment andIndiana and the Great Circlefrom MachineGames are expected to drop in 2024, though they are both lacking release dates at the time of this writing. According to the latest leaks and rumors,Avowedwill be out in either October or November, whileIndiana Jones and the Great Circleis expected to drop at some point in December.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you’re able to play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.
