Microsoft is reportedly considering further streamlining its Game Pass subscription service by merging the PC Game Pass and Game Pass Premium tiers. The Xbox parent company made a number of changes to its gaming subscription service last year, launching new plans and raising prices across tiers.
In October, Microsoft announced sweeping changes to Xbox Game Pass, replacing Game Pass Core and Standard tiers with “upgraded” Essential and Premium plans, and raising the price of Game Pass Ultimate, the highest tier of the subscription service. The company added PC support to all Game Pass tiers and increased the price of the dedicated PC Game Pass tier, which still offers day-one launch access.
Now Microsoft appears to be exploring further streamlining its subscription service for PC gamers. According to The Verge, Microsoft plans to launch Xbox in 2026, and the company is considering merging Game Pass Premium with PC Game Pass (via VGC).
PC Game Pass and Premium Game Pass
With the Game Pass Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers offering access to PC games, the dedicated PC Game Pass tier, which is priced higher than the Essential and Premium tiers, only stands out in terms of granting day-one access to new games. Considering that the next generation of Xbox consoles will likely be essentially PCs running Windows, merging the PC-only tier with the Premium tier further simplifies the Game Pass offering. In this case, PC Game Pass will end up being lower than the pricier Game Pass Ultimate tier.
Game Pass is unlikely to see any major changes in 2026, the report said. Microsoft also reportedly plans to further expand the Game Pass offering by bundling third-party services with Game Pass subscriptions. The Xbox parent company already offers third-party services such as Ubisoft+ Classics, EA Play and Fortnite Crew with Game Pass.
Game Pass changes
Game Pass recently underwent an overhaul, with Microsoft raising prices and launching new plans in October. Game Pass Core and Standard tiers are replaced by Basic and Premium plans respectively. The company is also expanding its offerings at each tier, most notably bringing Xbox Cloud Gaming to all Game Pass plans.
Last month, a report claimed that the company planned to launch a separate free ad-supported tier for Xbox Cloud Gaming, which would allow users to access cloud gaming without a Game Pass subscription. Free cloud gaming plans are reportedly set to launch sometime this year.
All Game Pass plans now support cloud gaming
Image source: Microsoft
Game Pass Program Explained
Currently, Game Pass Essential is the cheapest plan and offers a library of more than 50 games playable on PC, Xbox consoles, Windows handhelds and other supported devices, along with the ability to stream games via Xbox Cloud. In India, the plan is priced at Rs. 499 a month.
The Game Pass Premium plan is priced at Rs. It’s $699 per month and comes with a library of over 200 games, plus access to a selection of new games within a year of release, in addition to cloud streaming support.
PC Game Pass priced at Rs. For $939 per month, get day one access to hundreds of PC games and new titles. It also includes games bundled with EA Play.
The highest level, Game Pass Ultimate, includes a library of over 500 games, one-day access, cloud support, Ubisoft+ Classics, EA Play and Fortnite Crew. The plan is priced at Rs. 1,389 a month.
