Xbox Insiders in Ireland and Colombia have been able to test the “Xbox Game Pass – Insider Preview” since the beginning of August. According to a leak, the subscription should get the official name “Friends & Family”. While so far only sharing within the family is officially allowed, friends should also be able to benefit from it in the future.

“Xbox Game Pass – Insider Preview”

On August 4, Microsoft announced that Xbox users in Colombia and Ireland who participate in the Xbox Insider program to test new features will have access to “Xbox Game Pass – Insider Preview”. The new plan allows testers to share all Game Pass Ultimate content and benefits not only with family but also with friends. The only requirement is that the friends must live in the same country and have (or create) a Microsoft account. Only Xbox All Access users are excluded.

According to Microsoft, the friend does not have to be an “insider” to share the Xbox Game Pass – Insider Preview. The Xbox Insider Program is structured in rings, analogous to the Windows Insider Program, and depending on the ring, new features can be tested sooner or later. Microsoft speaks of up to four people who can be added to the subscription.

“Game Pass Friends & Family”

All added people have access to the games from the Game Pass, the online multiplayer functions and EA Play – similar to the Game Pass Ultimate. In the post, Microsoft promises that “playing Game Pass games with friends and family across console, PC, and cloud” is possible. According to our information, the Game Pass content on the PC with the Game Pass Ultimate does not currently work for family members, or only indirectly.

The new subscription model, which according to the leaker Aggiornamenti Lumia should be called when it is officially launched for all “Game Pass Friends & Family”, should cost 21.99 euros per month, according to The Verge. The Game Pass Ultimate currently costs 12.99 euros per month. Microsoft also offers other, cheaper subscriptions such as the Xbox or PC Game Pass (each 9.99 euros per month), but these are more limited in terms of functions and access. For example, the online multiplayer function is not included in the Xbox Game Pass – intended for pure offline players – and would also require Xbox Live Gold (6.99 euros per month).

The “Home Console Trick”

So far, sharing on a single console, including games purchased digitally that are not included in the Game Pass, has worked without any problems. If you have a second Xbox in the household, it gets a little trickier. Since Microsoft distinguishes between “online and offline licenses”, the choice of home console must be right. The owner of the games, who can also use “online licenses”, must enter the family member as the home console owner on his console. On the family member’s console, the game owner must designate as their home console, so the family member can use the “offline licenses” of the digitally purchased games.

Within a family in a household, this is perfectly legal and has even been conveyed in this way by Microsoft support in the past. However, many use the “home console trick” to share the purchased games and Game Pass subscriptions with friends outside of the family and within their own four walls. Since no more than one home console can be active per account, this procedure is limited to a maximum of two people. With the Game Pass “Friends & Family” there would at least be a legal way here – without the purchased titles.

“Game flat rates”

So far, all Microsoft-owned games have been available in the Game Pass upon release. After the takeover of Bethesda, the studio’s titles also appeared in Game Pass a short time later. With the purchase of Activision Blizzard, after the completion of the takeover planned for next year, Microsoft’s game library should become even more attractive with the same approach – for example, a “Call of Duty” or “World of Warcraft” will appear directly at the release without additional ones Cost in Game Pass.

Sony also introduced a similar model this year. With three different subscription levels from 9 to 17 euros per month – alternatively, Sony also offers correspondingly cheaper 3- and 12-month subscriptions – you have access to different features that are similar to Microsoft’s subscription models. PlayStation exclusive titles from Sony have not yet been announced in any of the subscription plans when they are released and must be purchased separately.

(bme)