After Microsoft reworked its Xbox Game Pass service last October, we ended up with three main tiers for gamers – Ultimate, Premium, and Essential. A hefty 50% price increase for the top Ultimate tier led to a massive number of people unsubscribing from the service, with many passing up on the cheaper tiers. Premium and Essential tiers fail to offer day-one releases.

PC gamers may know that there’s also a tier catered to them. The PC only plan is just $16.49 a month (much cheaper than the $30 Ultimate tier) and gives access to “hundreds of PC games” and all-important day-one access to new games. It’s a no-brainer if you don’t have an Xbox console, but new reports suggest Microsoft is ready to merge the PC plan with its regular Premium tier.

PC Game Pass may merge with Xbox Game Pass Premium

This news comes from Tom Warren of The Verge, writing in the latest Microsoft-focused Notepad column. He reports that Microsoft “is in the early stages of exploring ways” to alter and expand the service further. Part of this plan includes the possibility of the PC tier merging with the existing Xbox Game Pass Premium; this notion has been backed up by Windows Central. For reference, the Premium tier currently costs $14.99 per month – $1.50 cheaper than PC Game Pass.

Warren also says that Xbox Cloud Gaming (Microsoft’s answer to GeForce Now, which allows players to stream games) may be tested as a free service; it is currently bundled with the three main Game Pass tiers with varying degrees of benefits and perks. As far as expansion goes, it’s claimed Microsoft is looking to bundle other third-party services with its Game Pass memberships.

“While the free Xbox Cloud Gaming won’t be a new Game Pass tier, sources tell me Microsoft is in the early stages of exploring ways to expand its Game Pass subscription lineup. I understand that Microsoft is looking at ways to bundle third-party services with Game Pass subscriptions and potentially even merge Xbox Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass together.”

Tom Warren, Senior Editor at The Verge

Of course, nothing has been confirmed by Microsoft yet, but the backlash to price changes a few months back may have caused them to reconsider how the service operates. Bundling extra goodies will help make the cost more appealing, especially as there is no suggestion of a price decrease. We’re not to know at this stage who Microsoft has struck a deal with, and since Warren “wouldn’t expect to see any major changes to Game Pass this year,” we might have to wait until 2027 to find out.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.