What is Xbox Game Pass used for?

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's game subscription service giving access to a rotating catalog of PC and console games, including cloud streaming. It is a good fit for players sampling many games for one fee, and gamers streaming titles to phones and TVs.

How much does Xbox Game Pass cost?

Xbox Game Pass is a paid product with no free plan.

Is Xbox Game Pass open source?

No. Xbox Game Pass is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the Games & Emulation category, open-source options include Sunshine, Proton and RPCS3.

What are some alternatives to Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass competes with PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Switch Online and Apple Arcade.

Xbox Game Pass: features, pricing and alternatives

About Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass is a subscription from Microsoft that gives members access to a large catalog of games for a single monthly price. The library covers both PC and Xbox console titles, and new games are added regularly.

Members can play games natively on supported devices or stream them through Xbox Cloud Gaming, which brings play to a wider range of screens. The service sits within Xbox's wider platform, which includes Play Anywhere titles, free-to-play games, and optimized and backward compatible games, and it is paired with deals for members.

Xbox Game Pass is a hosted commercial subscription, with tiers and pricing shown on the vendor's site. It suits players who want to try many games without buying each one.

Key features

Rotating catalog of PC and console games
Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming
New games added regularly
Member deals and discounts
Play Anywhere across devices

Good fit for

→Players sampling many games for one fee
→Gamers streaming titles to phones and TVs

Tags: game-subscription; xbox; cloud-gaming; pc-gaming; console; microsoft

Xbox Game Pass: questions and answers

What is Xbox Game Pass used for?: Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's game subscription service giving access to a rotating catalog of PC and console games, including cloud streaming. It is a good fit for players sampling many games for one fee, and gamers streaming titles to phones and TVs.
How much does Xbox Game Pass cost?: Xbox Game Pass is a paid product with no free plan.
Is Xbox Game Pass open source?: No. Xbox Game Pass is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the Games & Emulation category, open-source options include Sunshine, Proton and RPCS3.
What are some alternatives to Xbox Game Pass?: Xbox Game Pass competes with PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Switch Online and Apple Arcade.