It’s now clear whether you need a Game Pass subscription for Genshin Impact’s online co-op on Xbox or not! There was some confusion about this before.
At gamescom 2024, the hoped-for Xbox version of the hit title Genshin Impact was f inally announced, which will follow in November for the current Microsoft console – years after the original release in 2020. The product page in the Xbox Store initially caused some confusion, because although Genshin Impact is a free-to-play title, it mentioned a necessary Game Pass subscription for access to online multiplayer elements.
“Online multiplayer on console requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Xbox Game Pass Core (sold separately),” it still says. This is confusing because the Xbox actually eliminated the need for a paid subscription in 2021 for free-to-play titles to be able to play them online. Prominent examples here are F ortnite or Apex Legends, which can also be played on the Xbox console without the need for a Microsoft subscription.
In the meantime, developer HoYoVerse has commented on the issue and confirmed to VG247 now: “Genshin Impact is a free-to-play game. You will not need to purchase Game Pass Ultimate or Core to play the game in co-op mode.”
Contrary to the note in the Xbox Store, a paid subscription to Microsoft is apparently not necessary for online co-op. However, those who have one benefit in other ways, as it goes on to say: “Players with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription can receive in-game bundles at launch and after subsequent version updates, as well as play Genshin Impact on Xbox Cloud Gaming.”
Genshin Impact will be released on November 20, 2024 for Xbox Series X/S.
HoYoVerse also confirmed with the Natlan gameplay trailer from gamescom that Genshin Impact will be available for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Game Pass starting November 20, 2024.
