The attractiveness of Game Pass for Xbox and PC gamers is widely acknowledged; a mere $10 per month opens the doors to an abundance of games that would challenge even the most dedicated player to complete within the given timeframe. Comparable to other online gaming services, Microsoft had provided avenues for users to test the service at a lower cost. However, this seems to have changed. The company has seemingly withdrawn trial offers, coinciding with the impending launch of Starfield, one of the most eagerly awaited games in recent memory.
While Microsoft has been offering various tiers for Game Pass, they also used to present a straightforward method to sample the service: $1 granted first-time users access to the extensive downloadable game library for an entire month.
Yet, in early August, alongside the price increase of the top-tier Game Pass Ultimate service to $17 (which incorporates game streaming through cloud technology), the free trial duration was curtailed to just 14 days. Now, as August draws to a close, it appears that there is no feasible option for prospective users to experience the service for any reduced fee or period. Full payment is now the requisite.
Reports from the Polish gaming website XGP brought attention to the change in Game Pass’ trial offering, a discovery subsequently verified by Pure Xbox. A brief examination of Microsoft’s Game Pass landing page at the time of writing corroborates the absence of the free trial option.
Consequently, even though Starfield will be accessible through Game Pass starting from September 6, the avenue of a free trial will no longer be available. This alteration coincides with the broader trend of escalating costs associated with streaming services across the spectrum. The outcome is such that the financial benefits of cutting traditional cable services now appear marginal, if existent at all.
