One of the most interesting news in terms of games so far this year has nothing to do with a specific title, a developer or a study. Nope, is related to a service which, for many users, has been a big change when it comes to access to games on various platforms. A new model that for some will never be an alternative, but for many others, including myself, has meant a huge change.
I’m talking, of course, about Xbox Game Pass, the game subscription service that, for a monthly fee, offers us access to a wide and varied catalog of games, from triple A releases to much more humble titles that have managed to win. the favor of users. Available for PC, for Xbox and also in Ultimate mode, which offers titles for both platforms, access to its cloud gaming platform and many other advantages, Without a doubt, we are faced with a game-changerWhat do the Anglo-Saxons say?.
And the news I am referring to started as a rumor at the beginning of the year, which was finally confirmed earlier this month with the launch of a test plan. I speak now of Xbox Game Pass Shared Membershipa billing modality that other online services already offer, such as those dedicated to music, movies and series, etc., but that until now was not present in the world of games, except for Apple Arcade in the iCloud+ family plans.
A very interesting point of the debut of this Xbox Game Pass shared plan is, yes, that unlike those mentioned above, at least in its beta phase there is no mention that it is mandatory that the participants in the plan live together in the same address. And it’s just the possibility of sharing a plan of this type with non-cohabiting relatives without violating the rules of the service is already great news.
But it could be even better. And it is that according to what we can read in The Verge, a leak indicates that the name of this subscription plan could be Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family, which would mean definitive confirmation that Microsoft will allow this type of subscription to be shared among family and friends, regardless of whether or not they reside in the same place. The only conditions that arise, at least at this time, is that they reside in the same country.
For some years now, Microsoft has offered Microsoft 365, a service that includes access to Office (both online and applications for multiple operating systems), OneDrive storage, and other benefits in a family plan. in which users are not required to share residence. Thus, it makes perfect sense that they plan to use a similar system with Xbox Game Pass. If it is finally confirmed that this is the case, the adoption of this already successful service may once again experience exponential growth.
