Microsoft is reportedly exploring the option of an exclusively cloud-based tier for its Xbox Game Pass service

Just weeks after Microsoft introduced significant alterations to its Xbox Game Pass, a new report suggests the corporation is contemplating an array of extra subscription levels to broaden the service's range. This includes a plan that would provide access solely to the Game Pass library via cloud streaming.

According to Windows Central's Jez Corden, who wrote an in-depth piece about the future of Game Pass, sources indicate that Microsoft is developing a cloud-centric variant that would be less expensive and more accessible than the current Game Pass Ultimate offering.

The goal, it appears, is multifaceted; Microsoft envisions this new level attracting customers deterred by the high initial cost of a gaming console. Additionally, it could appeal to owners of rival consoles who are not interested in purchasing an Xbox yet find the Game Pass library tempting. The company is also looking to boost revenue by allowing the option to purchase games from the cloud service's catalog outright.

Moreover, Microsoft's experimentation with an Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family Plan, which allows up to five individuals to share access to the Game Pass Ultimate at a reduced rate, seems not to have been shelved. Despite a test phase between September 2022 and August 2023 that didn't lead to a global rollout, Corden refers to "very low-key" whispers that it might still be in the cards. Additionally, while previously hinted at by Microsoft, an advertisement-driven tier for Xbox Game Pass is not an avenue being actively pursued at the moment.

This consideration of additional enhancements to the Xbox Game Pass offerings arises shortly after the company announced a major overhaul of its subscription service ahead of October's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 release. The revisions involved dispensing with same-day launches for the revamped basic plan and implementing price surges across various levels.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) criticized Microsoft's modified Game Pass offerings in a submission to the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, labeling the latest tiers as inferior and indicative of consumer detriment anticipated from the merger with Activision Blizzard. In a rebuttal, Microsoft defended its position to the court, countering the FTC's assertions as incorrect and deceptive, emphasizing that the agency had hardly focused on subscription issues during the trial.

Distancing itself from the contentious aspects, Microsoft has revealed an exciting lineup of new additions to the Xbox Game Pass for the upcoming month. July is set to feature an array of games, including Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Dungeons of Hinterberg, Flock, The Case of the Golden Idol, Neon White, among others.