Xbox Game Pass Testing Yet Another Tier of the Service

Highlights

• Xbox Game Pass is testing a new Standard tier, offering different game options for users to explore their preferences.
• New Xbox Insiders can access the Standard tier for $1/month during the preview, with pricing set to increase to $14.99/month.
• Xbox Game Pass Standard offers “hundreds” of console games but no day one launches, differentiating it from other tiers with unique benefits and prices.

Xbox Game Pass is testing the new Xbox Game Pass Standard tier for a select group right now. Gamers eligible for the Xbox Game Pass Standard tier will be able to get a look at how many games are offered and learn whether the service is right for them, or if a higher or lower tier is more appropriate.

Initially announced earlier in the summer, Xbox Game Pass for Console is being replaced with Xbox Game Pass Standard tier. While existing members on the Xbox Game Pass for Console tier are allowed to stay there for as long as their subscriptions remain active, new members and lapsed members are not being accepted for the older version. However, since Xbox Game Pass Standard hasn’t yet been made available to public, this is the first opportunity for users to give it a try.

Starting on August 20, Xbox Insiders now have the ability to subscribe and access the new Xbox Game Pass Standard tier. For the duration of the preview, the subscription fee has been dramatically decreased from the expected $14.99 per month to just $1 per month. Users will be able to continue their subscription to the tier at that price for as long as the preview lasts, with the cost then rising to $14.99 USD for all users regardless of Xbox Insider status. Xbox Insiders with subscriptions to Game Pass for Console, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Core members with less than two months stacked in their accounts are eligible for the trial.

What Makes Xbox Game Pass Standard Different?

Xbox Game Pass will eventually have four standard tiers, ranging from the most basic Core subscription to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC tiers are still receiving new games on day one, but Xbox Game Pass Core and Standard will not. The number of available games to play will also differ. Xbox Game Pass Standard has access to “hundreds” of games on console, while Core has a minimum of 25. Xbox Game Pass Standard may add new titles that launch on Ultimate day one at a later date, up to 12 months post-release.

Of course, with different levels of benefits, there are also varying prices. Core, Xbox Game Pass’s most basic tier, is set to $9.99 a month. Standard will settle into its $14.99 pricing after the Xbox Insider preview, while PC is $11.99 a month and Ultimate is at its new price of $19.99 a month.

Whether Xbox gamers embrace this new tier remains to be seen. A big part of the appeal of Xbox Game Pass has been access to day one titles, which Standard lacks. The lower price may appeal to some, but it won’t be clear if users think the tier is worth the cost until it officially launches. For now, though, access to Xbox Game Pass Standard for a dollar a month is a great opportunity for Xbox Insiders to try it out and offer their feedback to help shape the future of the gaming ecosystem.