Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family plan may be launching soon
The plan will give up to five players Ultimate benefits for a fraction of the cost per account.
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What you need to know
Microsoft confirmed that it’s been testing a new Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family plan back in August 2022, but since then, the company hasn’t given fans an official release date to look forward to. Based on a new advertisement that’s been spotted, though, it looks like Microsoft could be gearing up to launch the new Game Pass tier soon.
On Twitter, Xbox player Jawmuncher shared a screenshot of an ad for theGame Pass Friends & Family planthat appeared on their console’s homepage, with many New Zealand-based fans reporting that the advertisement is visible on their Xbox Dashboards as well. The ad states that the price of the plan will be $39.95/month, which may be in either NZD or USD; if this is the New Zealand Dollar price, the USD equivalent would be about $25. By subscribing, players will be able to share the full benefits of an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription with four other accounts (five total). That means full access to Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, andXbox Cloud Gamingfor a fraction of what it would cost to purchase five individual Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions.
Note that accounts outside of your home are eligible to be included in your Friends & Family plan, meaning that the tier will be an attractive option for both households and groups of long-distance friends and family members alike. It’s possible your accountwillneed to be registered in the same country as the ones you’re sharing Game Pass with, but right now, it’s unclear if that’s the case or not. All we know is that it was whenMicrosoft was testing Game Pass Friends & Familyin 2022.
Dashboard seems to be the only way to access atm pic.twitter.com/HDqhNj2BjUMarch 31, 2023
Each account attached to the plan can be used to play games at the same time, and each will also get individual gamertags, game history, achievements, and cloud saves. Essentially, it sounds like there are no restrictions here, which is great news for folks looking to get their buddies or loved ones into gaming with the new plan.
We haven’t spotted the Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family plan on our own Xbox systems, Xbox PC apps, or Microsoft’s Xbox website, so it looks like it’s not available yet and the ad that Jawmuncher spotted was erroneous. Still, this could be indicative of an imminent launch, so keep your eyes peeled if this plan interests you. Alternatively, there’s always a regularXbox Game PassUltimate subscription if you’re gaming solo.
Notably, this news comes days afterMicrosoft killed off its amazing $1 Xbox Game Pass promo deal. This makes Friends & Family the only remaining way beyond limited-time discounts to get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate access for a reduced price per account.
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Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
