Microsoft will continue providing employees with free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, a reversal initiated by a fan-favorite figure in Phil Spencer. This decision comes after Microsoft had previously announced no less than 24 hours earlier that it would start revoking this privilege, a move that was quickly met with widespread disappointment among the company's 238,000 employees and pretty much the entire internet.
The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a premium subscription service launched in 2019, has been an integral part of Microsoft employees' benefits, allowing them free access to a wide array of games. This perk, enjoyed by the employees since its inception, was under threat as Microsoft planned to remove it from most of their compensation packages in January. It led to a flurry of complaints from employees who felt aggrieved by the prospective loss of such a valued benefit.
Phil Spencer, who was seemingly unaware of the initial plan to scrap the Game Pass Ultimate benefit, acted swiftly upon learning of the discontent this decision had caused. His intervention was crucial. He took to the company's internal Viva platform, assuring employees that the benefit would not be revoked: "After looking into this more with the team, I just want to confirm that no change will be made to Game Pass availability in 2024. If you have access to the Game Pass offer today you will continue to have access. I appreciate the time to get up to speed and sorry for the questions and confusion created. And thanks for supporting Xbox."