Microsoft’s Xbox team has pioneered many gaming features we use today, like digital downloads, online multiplayer, and achievement systems. However, it’s their subscription services that have been most successful for the business.
Xbox Live used to be Microsoft’s online gaming service, but it’s now known as Xbox Game Pass. Launched in 2017, Game Pass lets you play a wide variety of games for a monthly subscription fee—similar to how Netflix works for movies and TV shows. For a long time, it was considered the best value in gaming. However, recent price increases and changes to the service in 2025 have led some to question if the original deal was sustainable.
Xbox Game Pass currently comes in three tiers. The basic plan, Game Pass Essential ($9.99/month), includes a limited selection of games, basic cloud gaming, and online multiplayer. Game Pass Premium ($14.99/month) offers a wider range of games, better cloud gaming, and online multiplayer. For $29.99/month, Game Pass Ultimate provides day-one access to first-party titles like Call of Duty, the biggest game library, higher-quality 1440p cloud gaming, and additional perks. There’s also a separate PC Game Pass ($16.49/month) with day-one access to games, but Microsoft seems to be phasing it out, as it’s becoming less prominent on their website.
Even with the recent price hike, Xbox Game Pass is still a good value – as long as you’ll actually play the games it offers (or don’t mind spending the money!). It’s unclear if the service can maintain its current price long-term, but for now, it’s still going strong.
Essential Xbox Game Pass reading
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2025-10-28 22:41