Game Pass Rumor Details
According to The Verge, Asha Sharma, Xbox’s new CEO who took over from Phil Spencer earlier this year, is exploring a new Game Pass tier focused exclusively on Microsoft’s first-party games. The move is part of a broader effort to reshape Game Pass into a more flexible subscription model.
The initiative is being driven by concerns about affordability. Sharma reportedly told staff that “Game Pass has become too expensive for players,” signaling an attempt to make the service more accessible. A dedicated first-party tier would likely offer a lower price point while maintaining substantial content through Microsoft’s extensive portfolio, which includes studios acquired through the Activision Blizzard and Bethesda deals.
This potential change reflects industry-wide trends toward tiered subscription models designed to serve different customer segments. By introducing a more affordable option, Xbox could expand its subscriber base while preserving premium tiers for players seeking third-party content and additional benefits. The specifics of how such a tier would be structured—whether it would coexist with or replace current Game Pass offerings—remain unclear.