Everyone loves free games. Unfortunately, games cost money to make. Thankfully, that has not stopped Microsoft from exploring ways to bridge that gap by introducing an ad-supported, free tier to its Xbox Game Pass service.
According to Xbox CFO Tim Stuart (thanks to TweakTown), this initiative aims to expand the reach of the popular video game subscription service, particularly in markets with high mobile usage but limited access to gaming consoles.
The proposed model would allow users to access game streaming after viewing ads, which is basically what YouTube’s been doing for the last decade, offering a new way to access Xbox’s extensive gaming library.
Microsoft has set its sights on Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, where a younger demographic with growing disposable income predominantly uses mobile devices. If this strategy pans out, it could considerably broaden Game Pass’ user base, tapping into a market segment that, until now, was largely inaccessible due to economic limitations.
What’s more, this could greatly benefit Microsoft’s larger vision of making Game Pass available on every screen that can play games, be it mobile or PC. The idea of an ad-supported Game Pass tier shouldn’t come as a surprise anyway since it fits in with the latest trends in content consumption. Almost all media platforms now have a variant of a free or ad-supported model as a way to entice new customers and retain existing users.
Recently, Xbox’s head, Phil Spencer, has asserted in not so many words that Game Pass is the future for Xbox, especially in the PC gaming market. This has proven to be true as, over the years, Game Pass has evolved to become a central component of Xbox’s strategy, providing access to a vast library of games, including high-profile first-party titles (think Starfield and Forza Motorsport).
The subscription service’s success has become a driving factor behind the popularity of Xbox’s latest consoles, particularly the Xbox Series S, which offers an affordable entry point for new gamers. Introducing an ad-supported Game Pass tier would further help bolster the sales of the Xbox.
After all, a huge number of gamers are being forced to drop some of their subscriptions due to the frequent price hikes and the availability of many options.
Ultimately, this is still a ‘what if’ scenario at this point. Phil Spencer even had to walk back some big talks about Game Pass joining forces with the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
