Survey Suggests Microsoft Might Introduce $3 Ad-Supported Game Pass Tier - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 18 December 2022 / 4,692 Views
Microsoft might be looking to introduce a new, cheaper ad-supported Xbox Game Pass tier, according to a survey that was posted on ResetEra.
The survey looks like it is asking players if they would be willing to pay a lower amount than the usual Xbox Game Pass price with less benefits. The lower priced tier would cost $3 per month and includes ads. The tier would give access to first-party Xbox games, however, only six months after they initially launched. This compares to the standard Xbox Game Pass tier that gives you access to new first-party games on day one.
The survey also suggests the ad-supported $3 tier would include access to online multiplayer. Right now requires Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes Xbox Live Gold as part of the subscription. Xbox Live Gold is priced at $9.99 per month or a cheaper price of $60 if you buy a 12 month subscription.
Xbox Live Gold does currently include two free Xbox One games every month, while it looks like this new tier would not include this.
It should be noted that the survey even if real does not guarantee Microsoft would introduce this new cheaper Xbox Game Pass tier.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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At $3 a month, that would be a bargain for what you get. So I am doubtful it will happen.
I think the idea would be to encourage people to get into the service, and once they value it to eventually be willing to pay more to avoid ads, and to not have to wait 6 months for big releases.
It would also be something they could offer people trying to cancel their Game Pass, to instead drop them down to $3 a month.
This is not something I am personally interested in or would use but at $3 a month on a separate tier I can't complain, and I am sure someone else would find that price point attractive.
Make it happen. More options is never a bad thing.
Maybe cut Games with Gold from that tier as well, then provide 4 games with the higher tiers.
I'm personally not supporting the attachment of more advertising to gaming. So no, "more options" is not necessarily better, especially when you're dealing with companies trying to find more ways to get you to let them automatically scoop money out of your bank account on an ongoing basis.
Not everyone is a high income earner, there are struggling families where a cost-reduced or even an entirely advert-supported model might be more attractive to them.
I imagine those on the $7.25 USD minimum wage would fall into that category...
You can get Game Pass for free via Microsoft Rewards. It's relatively trivial to earn enough rewards points for each renewal. It could take as little as 5 minutes a day, or potentially even less if you're really strategic about it, to earn enough points, in fact. There are great how-to threads on Reddit on how to maximize your points and minimize the amount of time it takes to get them.
I have Game Pass Ultimate and it doesn't cost me one red cent.
As tempting as 3$ might be, I wouldn't want to do anything to support ads entrenchment into gaming.
I agree. Especially when you can get it for free via Microsoft Rewards in most countries, if money is the problem. I don't like advertisement-supported tiers for Netflix, etc., but I can at least understand them when there's no free option. But when there is a free option that takes a few minutes a day to maintain?
The ads on this site are some of the worst of all time. In general I hate ads. I do not want to see an ad from Liberty mutual every time I go to start a game. No one does.
NEVER a bad thing to have MORE options. I'd definitely sign up for this.
If it's part of a separate tier, then i could care less.
So you do care
Not if it's part of another deal i have no interest in purchasing.
He's making fun of you saying I could care less, instead if I couldn't care less, which I'm assuming is what you meant.
Pretty much this =p
The Games on Gold haven't been the best in a while and if this includes MP, then why pay $60 when you can pay $36, get online and any 'older' games on there? Great deal for $36, cheap for any subscription service. This said, how would the ads work? On TV services it makes sense, before and after episodes, it's how it's been funded for years but if you sign up to GP and download, say Fallout 4, these ads might never been seen.
Yes, guess that makes sense. Still not the same amount of hits as TV would get. This said, I was having more thoughts about it. $3 is hardly anything for what you get, who cares if you only get new games 6 months later? I don't even buy games new unless it's specific game series anyway and will wait for a sale 6 months down the line. This kinda of deal might not only attract people who just want online and don't care about games for gold by might cause a lot of current subs to downgrade as there is more than enough on GP to play already. Knowing how buggy new games can be, might be beneficial too. If anything it might cost MS a lot of money just to appeal to a 'lesser' audience.
If it is only before/after a game even if it is 3min or more that is irrelevant for most users, consider that like loading time, leave the ad playing while you go to toilet and whatnot =p and if they put ads in the middle of game (perhaps when you pause for more than a few seconds) them it could be troublesome.
As long as it’s not on normal gamepass subscription. I don’t want ads but this is a good idea for those who can’t pay up the 10$ a month. It’s an option.
I wouldn't oppose this, if I can not pay for gamepass for 9 months out of the year, and than sign up for 3 months for a total of $9 every year to play every 1st party game with a few ads, I'm down.
Considering people sub to GP to save money I guess there is good opportunity in this.
6 months before playing 1st party games ? Can't be worse than paying 10$ and not being able to play any 1st party game for a whole year
Disgusting
