Xbox Games Pass launched last year to some heavy fanfare from Microsoft and many have called it a success. Still, others lamented the lack of new titles available on the service. It included many Microsoft hits from major franchises, but it still felt like a service dedicated to older games. Today, Microsoft is changing that narrative.
Microsoft has officially announced that all future Microsoft Studios Xbox One exclusive releases will launch as a part of Xbox Games Pass on release day. There’s no catch. You can play Sea of Thieves, Crackdown 3: Campaign and State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition the day they release if you subscribe to Xbox Games Pass. Microsoft has confirmed that future games from major franchises like Halo, Gears of War and Forza will also included.
We know our fans value having a variety of games to play at a low monthly price. We’ve also heard from fans that the ability to play new blockbuster games in Xbox Game Pass is important. So we’ve continued to explore new ideas to make this possible.
Today, we’re excited to announce plans for a major expansion to Xbox Game Pass that underscores our commitment to deliver our fans the ultimate gaming subscription service.
Moving forward, we plan to release all new Xbox One exclusive games from Microsoft Studios into Xbox Game Pass on the same date as their global release. This means that when Sea of Thieves launches on March 20, it will be included in Xbox Game Pass to all members.
This plan to bring new games timed with their global release into Xbox Game Pass not only includes announced titles like Sea of Thieves, State of Decay 2, and Crackdown 3 but future unannounced games from Microsoft Studios including new iterations of our biggest Xbox One exclusive franchises such as Halo, Forza and Gears of War, on the same day they launch
And of course, the games will still be available for purchase if you prefer.
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