Xbox Game Pass reportedly to drop day-one games and cloud gaming in future tiers

Xbox Game Pass has already seen numerous changes, including capped streaming hours. However, according to a source who predicted past revisions, Microsoft will completely overhaul the subscription service. The new leak claims the company intends to stop bundling day-one games and make cloud gaming an add-on.

A major shakeup?

Slayven is a ResetEra forum mod who shared details about developments with Core and Standard plans in 2025. Many of these prognostications came true, but it’s wise to maintain a level of skepticism.

The poster expects Microsoft to streamline Xbox Game Pass tiers into two offerings. In this scenario, players can choose an ad-based option for $12.99 per month. Alternatively, without commercials, the subscription service would cost $19.99 each month. That represents a further $3 price cut since Ultimate is currently $22.99.

On the other hand, the discount comes with a huge caveat. Slayven says the era of day-one Xbox Game Pass games could end as soon as February 2027. Meanwhile, all plans may lose cloud gaming, although 25 hours of streaming would be available for $5.99 per month.

The ResetEra moderator isn’t entirely clear on this point, but also hints at a $14.99 option. This selection may consist of only online access to titles in the existing library. Online multiplayer would be offered separately for $10.99 every 30 days. Finally, there is the potential for a family plan for an extra $5.99.

Eliminating a key benefit

Readers are already objecting to the removal of day-one Xbox Game Pass games, believing it would cripple the service’s value. Yet analysts argue that adding exclusives was a doomed idea from the start. The policy likely hurt individual sales, and subscriptions haven’t grown fast enough to offset the revenue loss.

Xbox Cloud Gaming becoming a standalone feature may be less controversial. Regardless, the upcoming monthly limits haven't been well received. Ultimate users will receive 15 hours in November, while Essential players enjoy 5 hours of access. Microsoft responded to the criticism, explaining that the restrictions impact only 4% of users.