Game Pass is one business model that Microsoft believes will be the way of the future. The company believes it is so much that it is willing to cannibalize the sales of its own games just to see the subscription service succeed.
In a bid to gain more subscribers for the PC Game Pass, Microsoft is bringing a preview of the service to 40 countries. The preview includes access to hundreds of titles available on the subscription service to countries across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Players from countries including Croatia, Iceland, Libya, Qatar, and Ukraine will get access to the subscription service with introductory pricing for the first month.
Gamers from these countries can access the PC Game Pass from the Xbox Insider Hub app which unlocks a preview version of the subscription service before it is fully launched. "In the coming months, PC Game Pass will launch in these countries for all players to experience," Jerret West, CVP of gaming marketing at Xbox said.
Microsoft offering the PC Game Pass to 40 new countries brings the total up to 86 countries. Microsoft will transition the Game Pass beyond the preview version in the next months.
Microsoft also recently announced that it is offering the Xbox Game Pass family plan to an additional six countries. The company’s move to expand the reach of the subscription service is welcome news for players who are keen on trying it out.
However, Microsoft’s gaming subscription service has also been at the center of the ongoing legal proceedings regarding the company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The US FTC, UK CMA, and EU Commission have argued that Microsoft’s merger with Activision Blizzard gives the company an unfair advantage in the gaming industry because of the Xbox Game Pass.
Microsoft has countered this by negotiating deals with Nintendo and Nvidia to bring Activision Blizzard titles such as Call of Duty to their respective platforms. The company has also drafted an offer to its main rival Sony to keep the popular shooter out of the Xbox Game pass and even went as far as offering Call of Duty on PlayStation Plus.
Sony has not yet accepted Microsoft’s offer regarding the ten-year licensing deal for Call of Duty. The company is hopeful that its rival will consider the offer in the coming months.
Microsoft’s Game Pass will get a big boost this year with the addition of AAA titles like Redfall, Forza Motorsport, and the highly-anticipated Starfield to the subscription service. Hopefully, Microsoft brings more titles from its first-party studios as well as third-party developers this year.
