When gamers think about subscription services, it is hard for Xbox Game Pass not to pop into their heads. The monthly paid service from Microsoft brings new titles to subscribers consistently, even granting them day one releases for less than half the cost of the game. As Xbox Game Pass gains in popularity, more and more titles are being announced for it, and with new games such as High on Life and Warhammer 40K: Darktide coming to the service in the next few months, a lot of gamers are finding new reasons to sign up.
Previously, only an individual could sign up for Xbox Game Pass, without the ability to share their accounts and benefits. But it appears that Microsoft is looking to change that, as it officially unveils the Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan. Back in March, it was predicted that Xbox might add a new subscription plan to Game Pass, and now, six months later, that prediction has come true.
Currently, the Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan is only available in Ireland and Colombia. Xbox hasn't yet confirmed when the new subscription tier will roll out to other regions, but should the Friends and Family plan prove successful, it will likely only be a matter of time before it is released in other areas. The Friends and Family plan allows users to share their Game Pass subscription with up to four other players.
There isn't much blocking five friends from getting together and buying the new Game Pass subscription tier, as the only criteria that needs to be met is all users must live in the same country. Other than that, all five users will have full access to the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, including EA Play, Xbox Live Gold, and all games currently available in the Game Pass Library on Xbox and PC. In terms of pricing, the Friends and Family plan costs more than the individual Ultimate subscription. In Ireland, the price of Game Pass Ultimate is €12.99 or around $15, while the Friends and Family plan nearly doubles that cost to €21.99, equivalent to about $25.
Split between a potential five users, though, the Game Pass Friends and Family plan works out to be much cheaper than five individual Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions. With this new tier being added to the service, it is possible that when it reaches other regions and is rolled out across the world, Xbox Game Pass Family and Friends could be a real game changer.