We can’t play the same multiplayer games together, but Microsoft apparently has a family plan in the works ( currently available in Ireland) that will enable this. The lack of a family gaming plan is annoying too, though we have been able to share Game Pass Ultimate across an Xbox and two PCs, with all three of us often gaming at once (jumping through some hoops). I've learned to pay attention to the “Leaving soon” column in the Xbox app. We have only bumped up against this a couple of times-when I had to rush to finish Twelve Minutes before it disappeared, and when we discovered Moving Out, which fast became a family co-op favorite. What happens if you’re halfway through a game and it disappears? The answer is your save progress is safe, and you have the option to buy it at a discount. Game Pass also cycles titles in and out every month. It is less risky to take a chance on something, and not feeling like you have to stick with a game because you bought it is freeing. Game Pass not only helps us discover games we like but also lets us drop titles we don’t. Hearing squeals of laughter as she racks up hours with pals in Sea of Thieves and Human Fall Flat goes a long way to justifying the cost, but what has made Game Pass Ultimate a vital part of our household are the PC games.Īn unexpected benefit is that my kids and I readily try more games now, playing titles that might have passed us by. What finally persuaded me to sign up was my crestfallen daughter, who found herself unable to join her game-hopping Xbox friends, who all seem to have Game Pass. My wife and I tend to only buy games we know we're going to like, which is an alien concept for kids.

Paying out $60 for a game they simply must have, only to find they're bored with it after a week, wasn't sustainable. But buying a steady stream of games for me, my wife, and my two kids was getting expensive.

I was skeptical about the quality and depth of Game Pass (and game subscription services generally). I often play the same games for weeks, but my Steam library is bristling with unplayed titles, and my kids have an insatiable thirst for new games. As a veteran PC gamer with a preference for Sony's PlayStation consoles, I’m a late convert to the delights of Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription service.

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