Xbox Game Pass overhaul would have you pay for add-ons like multiplayer "ala

This comes from Fortune (paywalled), which published an exhaustive conversation with Sharma covering some of the broad strokes of her plan to make Xbox "the No. 1 entertainment company." Part of that plan is a multi-stage downsizing that'll see 3,200 cut jobs by the end of the 2027 fiscal year, but it also includes the new Project Helix home console that is reportedly due to release in time for the 2028 holiday season and could cost as much as $1800, as well as a handheld system expected to launch in 2027.

The reason we're here, however, is this reported plan to fundamentally change how Microsoft's Game Pass subscriptions are priced. The current structure allows users to pick from various pre-determined tiers with various features based on price, but according to this new Fortune report, Sharma and co. are hatching a new plan to introduce paid add-ons for things like cloud gaming, multiplayer, and console-only games. So, in theory, you could be subscribed to the cheapest plan with the fewest benefits and still add on features that are important to you for additional monthly charges.

This is all far from confirmed and heavily dependent on pricing specifics, but I don't hate this idea fundamentally. If I can save myself a few dollars on a subscription by opting out of stuff like online multiplayer and cloud gaming, and just tack-on benefits like day one releases, that could increase the value proposition enough for me to resubscribe. But again, it's far too early to say how consumer friendly this potentially revised Game Pass plan will be in the end.

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