Xbox Game Pass may not be done making changes, as a leak on social media indicated that the service could soon receive a ‘Starter Edition’ tier for users to consider. This new Xbox Game Pass subscription option is claimed to be bundled with another popular service, with access to some titles from Xbox’s fast game library also included in the deal.
Microsoft’s popular Xbox Game Pass service offers subscribers a way to access various games and perks, with four tiers for users to currently pick from. These range from the Essential tier, which starts at $9.99 per month, to the Ultimate tier at $22.99. By subscribing to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, users can access various Day One titles from Xbox and from third-party publishers. These Day One Xbox console and PC games include the upcoming roguelike co-op title Tears of Metal and the highly-anticipated Forza Horizon 6.
Analyst Predicts Xbox Game Pass Could Be Cutting More Day One First Party Games
An industry analyst suggests Call of Duty may not be the last Microsoft-owned franchise to move away from day-one releases on Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass Leak Indicates An Affordable Alternative
After Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma stated that Xbox Game Pass had become too expensive for players to afford, a leak indicated that the tech giant is already planning to introduce a new subscription tier. According to leaks posted by Twitter user Redphx, Xbox Game Pass will soon introduce a new Starter Edition tier that is bundled with Discord Nitro. The Starter Edition leak was previously posted under the code names Triton and Duet. According to Redphx, Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition will include 10 hours of Xbox Cloud Gaming per month. A post by Twitter user DiscordPreviews elaborated more on the Xbox Game Pass Starter edition leaks, and stated that it would also include access to Xbox Rewards and over 50 Xbox Game Pass titles, such as Fallout 4 and Stardew Valley.
Currently, Discord Nitro is priced at $9.99 per month, or $99.99 for an annual subscription. The Discord Nitro price matches the Xbox Game Pass Essential tier, though it is currently unclear if the Essential tier and the leaked Starter Edition tier will offer the same Xbox Game Pass titles. The leak came just a few days after Xbox Game Pass announced a price cut to its PC and Ultimate tiers. As of April 21, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’s monthly price was cut from $29.99 to $22.99, with PC Game Pass dropping from $16.99 per month to $13.99. However, this move came with a trade-off, as Xbox stated that future Call of Duty games would no longer be Day One launches on Xbox Game Pass. Instead, Call of Duty games would appear a year later on Xbox Game Pass at no additional cost.
Xbox Game Pass Could Make More Moves
While rumors about Xbox Game Pass should be taken with a fine grain of salt, Xbox may offer more ways for subscribers to customize their Game Pass subscriptions. Previous reports claimed that Xbox Game Pass could introduce a Pick Your Own Plan feature that could offer users a perk to add to their monthly subscription, such as World of Warcraft game time or access to streaming services like Netflix.
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Between the changes with Xbox Game Pass, and Microsoft Gaming looking to rebrand simply as Xbox, it is clear that fans of the green brand are in for an eventful 2026. It remains to be seen what other plans Xbox has in store to bring back Game Pass subscribers.
Source: Insider Gaming
