Xbox Game Pass: Official: Game Pass Friends and Family launched in two countries

The successful Xbox Game Pass is to be expanded to include a family subscription in the foreseeable future. Can this possibly even be shared with friends? There are now at least initial indications that this will even be officially possible.

Update

It is official. Microsoft has a new service called in at least two countries (Ireland and Colombia). Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family started. The service’s Game Pass Ultimate is available for $21.99 per month and allows you to bring up to four other friends or family members, each of whom must be from the same country or region.

The primary account owner can add or kick friends or family, up to a maximum of eight people in a year. If a person moves to another country, they are automatically kicked out. You can only leave or join a subscription group twice a year. Party members cannot invite others, only the primary owner can.

Each person uses their own account and Xbox profile to save their games, track their achievements, and get personalized recommendations. Accordingly, people under one Game Pass can also play at the same time.

It is still unclear whether and when other countries or regions will offer the service in addition to Ireland and Colombia.

Original message 2022-08-29 09:15:

Most major entertainment subscriptions offer the option of officially sharing them with other household members, i.e. family members. As a result, not everyone has to take out their own subscription, but a subscription with several profiles is sufficient, which ultimately turns out to be cheaper. Officially, however, it is usually impossible to share such a subscription with friends or people outside the household. Even if this is often practiced in this way, it then violates the official terms and conditions of the offer. With the Xbox Game Pass, it could possibly even be different.

Microsoft is known to be testing a family membership to Xbox Game Pass; a corresponding feature will start in the foreseeable future, although the specific date and pricing are not yet official. If you believe new rumours, then you will even be able to officially share such a subscription with friends.

This is indicated by a new leak after Microsoft tested this subscription level in Colombia and Ireland. The branding of this model is based on the name “Friends & Family”, so apparently also includes friends explicitly. If you book such a membership, you can probably share it with people who do not belong to the same household.

It remains to be seen whether it will actually be officially so in the end and how this model is priced. During the test phase in Ireland, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate family membership will cost EUR 21.99; the regular price for an individual membership is otherwise 12.99 dollars. Even when used by two people, there is a discount of 2 dollars. However, it should even be possible for four more people to use it. We will keep you informed of further developments!