If you’re new to Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass or the subscription services as a whole, then your mind is probably riddled with questions about the product. Like a wise shopper or any shopper, for the most part, one of the most common questions that come to mind is if you will be getting your money’s worth. Unless you have a magical thingamajig that produces money, you will be haunted by questions like is the service reliable? How does it affect your savings in the long run? After all, you’re paying for a digital subscription-based product that will expire over time.
With that said, if you’re still having second thoughts about the service or is planning to purchase one, then you’re on the right page. Today we will be taking a quick overview on how to take advantage of your Xbox Game Pass.
What is an Xbox Game Pass?
Microsoft offers two different video game subscription services. These are Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. For a single monthly subscription fee, customers of both services can access a changing selection of video games from a variety of publishers. In addition, they can make use of additional premium services like Xbox Live Gold and EA Play. Using Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One consoles, as well as other portable devices, all are provided with this service via Xbox Game Pass.
On the other hand, PC Game Pass only offers it to devices running Windows 11 or Windows 10 that support Xbox Cloud Gaming. While Xbox Live Gold customers were given priority access beginning on May 24, the service officially launched on June 1st, 2017. Moreover, many individuals are discovering Xbox Game Pass for the first time and enjoying it immensely. The most popular plan is the Ultimate membership, which includes access to EA Play. It allows you to play every game in the Xbox Game Pass library across all of your devices (Xbox Game Pass is available on consoles, PCs, and Android devices).
Over 10 million Xbox Game Pass users were disclosed by Microsoft in the Q3 2020 earnings call in April 2020. By September 2020, that number had increased to 15 million,18 million by January 2021, and more than 25 million by January 2022.
Xbox Game Pass Tiers
Below is a list of tiers from the Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Ultimate Game Pass $14.99/Month
The Xbox Ultimate Game pass gives you access to all platforms. All of the games in our libraries are available for PC, console, and phone. Additionally, the service includes an Xbox Live Gold, which means that you can combine everything into a single, practical membership that gives you access to all the free titles as well as all the multiplayer perks offered by your Gold membership.
On top of that, you will also get access to free extras including in-game add-ons, consumables, and partner deals are available to Ultimate members. EA Play is currently available on consoles and through cloud gaming. With EA Play, players will have access to over 80 extra games that are all part of the EA universe with Game Pass Ultimate. As a result, Ultimate customers can make use of a wide variety of games, including Star Wars games, Battlefield games, Crysis, Dead Space, and sports games like FIFA and the Skate series.
PC or Console Regular Subscription $9.99
A regular subscription will cost you $9.99/month. With this plan, you will have access to basic services. What’s missing is the Xbox Live Gold ($9.99/month) that provides access to Games with Gold, Deals with Gold, and online multiplayer. The EA Play feature is also not included in this plan.
How to Take Advantage of your Xbox Game Pass Subscription?
Check out our tips to help you utilize the service effectively.
Get the Ultimate
If you’re opting to get a subscription, then the best deal you can get is the Ultimate. Purchasing this service will give you access to everything it has to offer. If the price is too high for your budget, you can split it with a friend who plays PC games. Doing this will reduce your monthly subscription cost. Just make sure that your friend is trustworthy enough to handle your Xbox credentials.
Explore the Library
The service features a massive library of video games from AAA to indie. So the best way to take advantage of this feature is to explore and look for hidden gems. To do this, you need to go to “My Games and Apps” instead of the default Game Pass dashboard icon to access Game Pass. You should see two tiles for Xbox Game Pass and EA Play. After that, scroll to “complete library” under “My Games and Apps.”
You can also benefit from the extensive classification options on the Xbox website. It groups EA Play games with the rest of the Game Pass library. It also has a useful “play day one” bracket. There should be an emblem that resembles an inverted high school science class funnel. You can find it in the top row of the Game Pass app. By selecting that, you can filter games. For instance, by their multiplayer capabilities, system (Xbox One, Xbox One S, or next-gen “optimized” titles), and genre (platformer, shooter, role-playing, etc).
You can use Game Pass to simply play every game that has been updated for the next-generation consoles. Furthermore, you can check out which puzzle games support local co-op if that’s what you like to do. When you view the library using all these filter options, you can categorize it thoroughly, which may help you decide whether or not a subscription is a good fit for you and your gaming preferences.
Pre-Load Games
Most of the time, Xbox will notify subscribers that the game is ready for download days before its official launch. Although this feature is just minor, having to skip the lengthy download process on day one is a relief, to say the least.
So if you want to know more about Xbox Game Pass and other guides, make sure to stay tuned here in PlayPC. Surely, you’ll see something that will help make your game experience better!
