New Xbox Game Pass leak reveals new 'Starter Edition' tier

Xbox Game Pass can't be done by making changes, as a leak on social media indicated that the service may soon get a “Starter Edition” tier for users to consider. This new Xbox Game Pass subscription option is said to be bundled with another popular service, with access to certain titles from Xbox's instant game library also included in the deal.

Microsoft's popular Xbox Game Pass service offers subscribers a way to access various games and perks, with four tiers for users to choose from. These range from the Essential tier, which starts at $9.99 per month, to the Ultimate tier at $22.99. By subscribing to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, users can access various Day One titles from Xbox and from third-party publishers. These Day One Xbox console and PC games include the upcoming roguelike co-op title Metal tears and the long-awaited Forza Horizon 6.

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Analysts predict Xbox Game Pass could cut more first party games from day one

An industry analyst suggests that Call of Duty may not be the last Microsoft-owned franchise to move away from a day one release on Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass leak indicates an affordable option

After Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma stated that Xbox Game Pass had become too expensive for gamers to afford, a leak indicated that the tech giant is already planning to introduce a new subscription tier. According to leaks posted by Twitter user Redphx, Xbox Game Pass will soon introduce a new Starter Edition tier that comes with Discord Nitro. The Starter Edition leak has previously been published under the codenames Triton and Duet. According to Redphx, the Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition will include 10 hours of Xbox Cloud Gaming per month. A post by Twitter user DiscordPreviews elaborated on the Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition leaks, stating that it would also include access to Xbox Rewards and over 50 Xbox Game Pass titles, such as Fallout 4 and Stardew Valley.

Currently, Discord Nitro is priced at $9.99 per month, or $99.99 for an annual subscription. The Discord Nitro price matches the Xbox Game Pass Essential tier, although it's currently unclear whether the Essential tier and the leaked Starter Edition tier will offer the same Xbox Game Pass titles. The leak came just days after Xbox Game Pass announced a price cut on its PC and Ultimate tiers. On April 21st, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's monthly price dropped from $29.99 to $22.99, with PC Game Pass dropping from $16.99 per month to $13.99. However, this move came with a trade-off, as Xbox stated that the future Call of Duty games would no longer launch Day One on Xbox Game Pass. Instead, Call of Duty games would appear a year later on Xbox Game Pass at no additional cost.

Xbox Game Pass can make more moves

While rumors about Xbox Game Pass should be taken with a grain of salt, Xbox may offer more ways for subscribers to customize their Game Pass subscriptions. Previous reports claimed that Xbox Game Pass could introduce a Pick Your Own Plan feature that could offer users a perk to add to their monthly subscription, such as World of Warcraft playtime or access to streaming services such as Netflix.

Between the changes with Xbox Game Pass, and Microsoft Gaming wanting to change its name to simply Xbox, it's clear that fans of the green brand are in for an eventful 2026. It remains to be seen what other plans Xbox has to bring back Game Pass subscribers.

Source: Insider Gaming