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Will it work long term? Who knows, but for now it’s a fantastic deal for consumers.
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Microsoft is banking hard that a subscription service like this is the future of gaming, with its acquisition of Zenimax and proposed purchase of Activision Blizzard eyed to keeping the Game Pass content pipeline chugging along. Game Pass consistently adds great games every month, and once you subscribe it becomes hard to stop. Microsoft’s Netflix-style subscription service lets you download hundreds of games for your Xbox or PC for as little as $10 a month, and as long as you subscribe they’ll always be on your dashboard, waiting to be played. Searching for even more great game recommendations? WIRED's lists of the best Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S titles also include fantastic picks.Xbox Game Pass has long been a bargain. (It’s a bit overwhelming!) From new indies to classic blockbusters, our genre-spanning picks for the best Game Pass games likely have something that’s perfect for your style of play. I sifted through the Game Pass catalog and curated a few outstanding titles to help you decide which ones to download first. (PlayStation and Switch gamers should check out our guide to the top subscription services for those platforms.) Ditched your console? There’s a PC-only plan for $10. Just on console and not interested in online multiplayers games? Microsoft offers a cheaper tier that costs $11 a month. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription comes with Xbox Live Gold, access to EA Play, and cloud gaming. For active gamers, the $17-a-month service from Microsoft is worth it, since you can download over 100 games in a regularly refreshed library. Xbox Game Pass is one of the few subscription services I hold on to, even when I’m cutting back.
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