While already providing a number of services for players, Microsoft’s Xbox All Access service includes its best programs, as well as a brand new console for those who sign up.
Since the latest generation of consoles began back in 2013, Microsoft has been left behind after the slow release of the Xbox One, which was pushed as a center piece of entertainment rather than the game system people wanted. Despite stumbling through the first couple of years, the Xbox One is now being seen as a more consumer-friendly console than originally planned, offering servicessuch as backward compatibility for select Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, as well as the subscription program Xbox Game Pass. Today has confirmed rumors of an offering that not only bundles many of these services together, but also rewards users with a brand new console to keep just for signing up.
Microsoft‘s new subscription service, titled Xbox All Access, was announced today by Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb on Twitter. The service is being promoted as an “all in one” package, giving anyone who signs up two years worth of Xbox Live, Xbox Game Pass, and their choice of either a brand new Xbox One X or Xbox One S.
Xbox All Access is only available in the US at participating Microsoft Stores. While the interest-free financing plan doesn’t require any upfront costs, consumers won’t see too much in savings when comparing the cost of purchasing everything separately to the listed promotional bundles.
Xbox All Access is packed in with two years-worth of Game Pass and Xbox Live, and players will be allowed to keep their consoles once the subscription ends. The Xbox One S version of the service costs $21.99, while the Xbox One X version will cost $34.99 per month. For comparison, one can purchase a standard 500GB Xbox One S separately for roughly $199, an Xbox One X for $499, Xbox Game Pass for $9.99 per month, and Xbox Live for $59.99 per year.
Microsoft has continued to up the ante with a “players first” approach the past few years. While the features of Xbox Game Pass alone trump the quality of Sony’s PlayStation Now streaming service, Game Pass also offers launch-day access to new first-party exclusives, as seen this past Spring with the launch of Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2.
Many of the Xbox One’s newest features have also begun to compliment each other, with their monthly free Games with Gold offering Xbox 360 and Xbox One titles, as well as the Game Pass list including many backward compatible options. It hasn’t stopped there either, with even more games continuing to build Microsoft’s backward compatibility lineup and Game Pass offerings as the holidays draw near. And so, with all of this in consideration, it will be interesting to see if Xbox All Access’ bundle of the aforementioned features and services will be a success with subscribers.
Microsoft‘s Xbox All Access subscription service is available now in the US for a limited time.
