Note – take this as rumor/speculation for now. Jez Corden is trustworthy and well known for his coverage of Xbox, including insider information. But, until a product/feature is actually launched, take this with a grain of salt. Companies can and do often change their mind on unreleased features.
Those caveats aside, Windows Central today reported that Xbox Game Pass could still roll out a cloud-only tier at a price lower than Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. According to Windows Central, this would also include the ability to play purchased games from the Xbox store – something we’ve been waiting for a long time now for Xcloud to support.
Windows Central is also reporting that the idea of a Game Pass family plan isn’t dead. However, if a family plan is ultimately offered, it will likely come in at a price higher than $25.
We think both of these developments are quite plausible. If Xbox were to offer a cloud-only option, something would have to give, though. As the article rightly points out, cloud Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users actually cost Microsoft more than users that play on a console they purchased. Those cloud servers aren’t free and neither is the power they use. So, if the cloud-only option is going to be cheaper, then it will likely have to come with fewer games – especially day-one games.
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