Earlier this month, Microsoft began testing a family plan of its popular Xbox Game Pass service. The new tier allows up to five members to take full advantage of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate through their individual Microsoft accounts. This could be a very enticing tier for a household with multiple gamers who use Xbox as their primary platform.
Now, the official branding for the upcoming tier of the service may have leaked. Italian website Aggiornamenti Lumia seems to have gotten its hands on the official graphic and as you can see below, it"s labeled as Xbox Game Pass for "Friends & Family":
— Aggiornamenti Lumia (@ALumia_Italia) August 27, 2022
It"s interesting to see that Microsoft is not promoting this just as a family plan, at least based on the branding. It leaves the door open and perhaps even encourages people to share the benefits (and the cost) among friends.
Speaking of the cost, Microsoft hasn"t officially announced it yet. However, in its testing with Xbox Insiders in Ireland and Colombia, it cautioned early adopters that their Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription would be converted to the new tier. A one-month membership of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $15, but it gets converted to 18 days of the new Friends & Family tier, which roughly translates to $25/month for the latter. Those in Ireland were able to find references to €21.99/month, though.
That said, it is important to note that prices and availability can vary by region and since the new tier is in preview anyway, nothing is set in stone.