Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox announced the introduction of a new game subscription service to debut this spring, Xbox Game Pass. For $9.99 per month Xbox Game Pass will give subscribers access to more than 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 backward compatible titles. Halo 5: Guardians, Payday 2, NBA 2K16, SoulCalibur II and LEGO Batman are said to be among the “favorites” that will be available upon launch. Microsoft has reportedly teamed with some hard hitters to fill their catalog.
“With great games from top industry publishers such as 2K, 505 Games, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Capcom, Codemasters, Deep Silver, Focus Home Interactive, SEGA, SNK CORPORATION, THQ Nordic GmbH, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft Studios, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and you will always find something exciting to play across a variety of genres.”
Game Pass subscribers will see new titles arrive monthly while old titles cycle out allowing access to a broad array of games. The service allows you to directly download games to your Xbox One. Spencer praises the benefit of direct download, “that means continuous, full-fidelity gameplay without having to worry about streaming, bandwidth or connectivity issues.” If your subscription expires or is cancelled, any Game Pass downloaded title will be unavailable. This does not remove achievements or progress attached to your account. While the base game is in the catalog, Game Pass members will receive a 20 percent discount on games they wish to make a permanent part of their collection and 10 percent off related add-ons. Microsoft expressed their desire to provide “an enjoyable and seamless experience” and announced beta testing on a small amount of titles has begun with select members of the Xbox Insider Program. Xbox Live Gold members will also receive early access to the program later this spring.