- Xbox has confirmed that Game Pass Standard won’t include day-one access to new releases.
- An insider reveals that Microsoft plans to add these titles to the service in 6-12 months.
- Certain very high-profile games could take even longer than 12 months.
Xbox unveiled Game Pass Standard and new prices yesterday. This new tier of the popular subscription service foregoes the signature day-one first-party releases and offers a catalog of existing first-party games.
Priced at $14.99, it ends up more expensive than the previous console tier with day-one releases. However, it also offers multiplayer gameplay, unlike that tier. As for the confusion regarding new games, it is said that they will take about 6-12 months to arrive on this tier.
Why it matters: This statement indicates that Microsoft has not yet decided on the exact approach to this new tier. As such, things could change in the future.
As reported by Jez Corden, Microsoft explained that big releases would take up to a full year to arrive on this tier. However, he specified that some games might require even longer.
Xbox is going with the classic case-by-case statement here, stating that the situation will be different for each release. One could assume that a smaller game like last year’s Towerborne or poorly received titles like Redfall would fall within the six-month criteria.
On the other hand, major successes like Starfield would probably require at least a full year. Therefore, fans should not expect the likes of Fable, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Gears of War E-Day on this tier close to release.
Perhaps these will fall in the group that takes even longer than one year.
Nonetheless, it’s clear that Game Pass Standard does not carry the same charm as its predecessor. From the beginning, the subscription has been sold on the promise of access to big titles from day one.
This benefit is now exclusively available on Game Pass PC and Ultimate. Microsoft seems interested in growing on the PC platform, so the gaming giant is offering the best deal for PC users.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.