Xbox Game Pass Program Announced 4 Years Ago Has Been Canceled

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Microsoft is ending its Xbox Game Pass program, which first launched in 2017. The service let players stream a rotating selection of digital games on Xbox, Windows, and mobile devices, offering a popular and affordable way to try out many titles without buying them individually. Available in three price levels, from $9.99 to $29.99, the cancellation marks another change during Phil Spencer’s time leading the Xbox division.

Guy Richards, the head of ID@Xbox, confirmed in an interview on March 12, 2026, that Project Moorcroft has been cancelled. The project, first announced in June 2022, aimed to let independent developers share early demos of their games with Xbox Game Pass subscribers. This would help developers gain players and gather feedback during the game’s creation. Originally planned to launch within a year of the announcement, Project Moorcroft never materialized, and its cancellation is now official.

Project Moorcroft Is No More

Richards recently explained that Project Moorcroft, an early experiment with offering Xbox demos, has been discontinued. He described the project as a way to test ideas for demo support, but Microsoft has since shifted its focus. Instead of pursuing Moorcroft’s original concept, they’ve prioritized things like game demo festivals and allowing players to wishlist games and receive updates through the Xbox Store. Essentially, while Microsoft still cares about demos, they’re now taking a different approach, and Project Moorcroft is no longer active.

This week, Xbox shared details about how independent game developers will contribute to Project Helix and their plans for the future of Xbox. We also learned about a previously unreleased indie game made for Xbox, and Newzoo forecasts that PC gaming will generate more revenue than console gaming by 2028.

— The Game Business (@thegamebusiness) March 12, 2026

Microsoft’s Xbox division has been going through a period of significant change, especially after Phil Spencer stepped down. He had led the Xbox team for many years and had already begun planning the next Xbox console. With sales of the current Xbox Series X|S consoles declining, his departure was expected. Now, several projects he championed, including Project Moorcroft, are also being cancelled or put on hold. We can anticipate further changes within Microsoft’s gaming hardware division in the coming months.

While the cancellation of Project Moorcroft is a disappointment for those who were excited about it, it’s not a major setback for gamers overall. Microsoft is actually making it easier to find and play game demos, and Project Moorcroft likely inspired this push to get demos more readily available through the Xbox Store. The company wants to streamline the process of getting demos from developers to players, and that’s still the plan.

What are your thoughts on the cancellation of Project Moorcroft? Share your opinions and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-13 00:15