Microsoft unveils their “Xbox All Access” Subscription
Microsoft unveils their “Xbox All Access” Subscription
To subscribe to Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass, gamers first need an Xbox console, an expensive one-off purchase that may be difficult to swallow initially. Now, Microsoft is venturing further into the “console as a service” model, offering a limited-time Xbox All Access offer that includes a console, Xbox Game Pass and an Xbox Live Gold subscription.Â
This subscription lasts for 24 months, with a price tag of $21.99 per month for the Xbox One S (1TB) version and a price tag of 34.99 for an Xbox One X bundle. For the Xbox One S, the bundle saves the user $130 over buying the console and paying each subscription separately. Â
Right now, this offer is exclusive to the US through the Microsoft Store and will be available for a “limited time”. It is likely that Microsoft is testing this service model before pushing it overseas. One the 24-month payment scheme is finished, subscribers get to keep their Xbox One console, though cancelling the subscription early will require subscribers to cover the remaining cost.Â
With Xbox Game Pass, new console owners can access a vast library of both old and new gaming titles, with the pass recently gaining access to Fallout 4, The Division and DOOM 2016. This subscription model makes a lot of sense for Microsoft, spreading the financial burden of consoles over a longer period of time while also offering their subscribers savings over one-off purchases. Will Microsoft’s future consoles take a mobile-phone contract-style approach to monetisation?Â
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