The subscription service will feature over 100 titles
Microsoft announced that it’s bringing Xbox Game Pass, its popular console game subscription service, to Windows.
As of now, PC games featured on Game Pass can now be played on either Xbox or Windows, due to the company’s Play Anywhere initiative, but a majority of those titles are Microsoft-published games like Forza Horizon 4 and Gears of War 4.
Microsoft is in the process of launching an entirely new version of the subscription service for Windows computers. Over 100 games from more than 75 developers to start, with more games to come periodically.
At the moment less than 20 of the games available through Xbox Game Pass can be played on PC. Microsoft has signed up dozens of new developers to bring titles to this new version of the service. Cloud gaming and game streaming seem to be the new trends for gaming going forward and Microsofts is setting themselves up to continue their reign in the gaming industry. Earlier this month Sony revealed that they are joining forces with Microsoft as cloud gaming competition heats up thanks to Amazon and Google.
Xbox chief Phil Spencer published a blog post stating, “Two years ago, we launched Xbox Game Pass on Xbox One, and since then we’ve seen how valuable a curated library of high-quality games can be for players and game developers alike.” Spencer continues to elaborate on the updates to Game Pass, “We researched whether a similar opportunity exists for PC players and PC game developers, and we believe that it does. We also considered the importance of bringing something new and additive to the PC gaming ecosystem, and we believe that we can. So, we designed a service specifically for the needs of PC gamers and PC game developers. It’s called Xbox Game Pass, just like the original, but it’s a new experience that we are building together with the PC community.”
At the moment we don’t know which games will be available and if the subscription cost will continue to be $9.99 per month. Microsoft is going to announce more about the PC version of Game Pass at E3 next month. But the company has confirmed developers like Sega, Metro Exodus creator Deep Silver, Fallout and Elder Scrolls studio Bethesda, Paradox Interactive, and indie publisher Devolver Digital on board.
Other benefits users can plan on taking advantage of are the benefits through the Microsoft Store that current Xbox Game Pass members get through Xbox Live. Players will be able to play any new Microsoft developed game for free with Game Pass on the day of release. Subscribers will also get the same 20 percent discount on the price of games included in the library.
