Microsoft floats insanely cheap Xbox Game Pass with ads, but there’s one more catch

Microsoft is considering an ad-funded Xbox Game Pass tier that could provide much cheaper access to the subscription service, according to an purported survey it sent to gamers.

The Xbox-maker is quizzing gamers about a potential new tier that would show ads as games launch (and perhaps during gameplay between levels) and would delay access to first-party Xbox Studios titles by six months.

The price of said service would be just €2.99 per month or €21.99 per year, according to the purported questionnaire posted onto the ResetEra forums (via VGC). Xbox Game Pass currently costs €9.99 in Europe, so this would represent a 70% saving on the current price.

While this doesn’t mean Microsoft is planning on announcing an ad-funded tier any time soon, it does suggest the company is at least considering ways to broaden the subscriber base by being inclusive of gamers at all price points.

Both of the proposed trade-offs are interesting. It’s not clear how Microsoft would integrate the ads, whether it’d be before, or during gaming sessions, but it’s a reality most streaming providers are now facing up to despite the presence of pure, ad-free experiences.

Gamers, in general, don’t tend to be receptive to any form of advertising within their favourite hobby, but access to a library of hundreds of games for €2.99, might be a trade-off worth making.

The same goes for the delayed access to Xbox Studios releases. Day one access is a prized feature for Game Pass, but if you’re less obsessed with playing a game like Starfield as soon as it drops, then Microsoft’s proposal might also be a tempting option.

Game Pass currently has over 25-million subscribers, but there’ll come a point where Microsoft hits a wall. Perhaps this is a good option to have in the locker for when subscription numbers need a boost? Would it interest you? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.