Asha Sharma, the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, recently stated that the current Game Pass subscription is too costly for many players. Now, a report from IGN suggests she’s considering a new, more affordable Game Pass option that would only include games made by Microsoft itself.
A recently found internal memo showed that Sharma is prioritizing improvements to Xbox Game Pass, as it’s considered key to the overall value of Xbox gaming.
According to an internal document, Game Pass is key to offering good value on Xbox. However, the current Game Pass system needs improvement. In the short term, it’s become too costly for players, and we need to find ways to make it a better deal. Looking ahead, the plan is to make Game Pass more adaptable, but this will require testing and learning over time.
For a while now, people have been talking about a new level of Xbox Game Pass that would only include games made by Xbox Game Studios. Data discovered in March suggested this tier could feature titles like DOOM 64, Psychonauts, Retro Classics, DOOM Eternal, Dishonored 2, Fable Anniversary, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, Hellblade, Ori and the Blind Forest, State of Decay 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online. The fact that this list didn’t include any games from companies other than Xbox supports the idea that this tier would focus solely on first-party games.
A report last month suggested that Sharma is considering changes to the Game Pass subscription, potentially lowering prices for different levels. She wants to make future consoles and services like Game Pass more appealing to a wider audience.
Sharma has also been discussing a possible partnership with Netflix’s Greg Peters. The idea is to combine subscriptions to both services at a discounted price.
Peters explained that any successful partnership needs to benefit both the customer and the companies involved. He believes Microsoft is still exploring how to best leverage the Game Pass bundle for its own goals, but he’s impressed with Asha’s approach, which focuses on finding ways to expand and improve. He’s been enjoying watching the progress so far.
Game Pass got more expensive in October when Microsoft introduced three new subscription levels: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. The Essential and Premium tiers are largely the same as the older Core and Standard plans, but the Ultimate plan now costs $29.99 a month – a significant price increase.
Many people criticized the decision, including Laura Fryer, a co-founder of Microsoft Game Studios. In a video, she explained that the company seemed to be prioritizing profits over the gaming experience and that its leaders didn’t understand what Xbox fans wanted.
She expressed concern that Xbox leadership has lost touch with what makes the platform successful. She doesn’t believe they’re paying attention to what players want, and they seem to be continuing to make choices that ignore community feedback, as if they’re unaware of what fans are saying.
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2026-04-17 16:41