According to Microsoft, prospective PC Game Pass users will no longer have the opportunity to take advantage of the service’s $1 USD free trial. For years those who wanted to try out PC Game Pass for the first time could gain a full month’s access just by spending a single US dollar. Although players had to pay at least $9.99 USD a month to continue using the service, the $1 trial went a long way toward increasing the accessibility of a massive library of games. But with the removal of this trial offer, it appears that Microsoft has no longer been reaping its benefits for one reason or another.
Kari Perez, Xbox’s head of communications, relayed this information to The Verge yesterday. She specifically stated that Microsoft will explore different avenues for possible marketing promotions for Game Pass in place of the $1 trial. She did not specify the exact reasons why Microsoft has decided to abandon the $1 trial offer at this stage.
Any other offers worth noting?
Although individuals interested in Game Pass will want to wait for an alternative offer, for now, groups of would-be subscribers in certain countries still have another offer they can take advantage of. That offer comes in the form of Game Pass Ultimate’s Friends and Family plan, which allows up to five individuals to share a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The cost of the plan totals up to the equivalent of around $24 USD, or less than $5 USD per person. Microsoft has expanded the availability of this offer to eight different countries, and it may very well see further expansion in the near future.
Now that the $1 trial has come to an end, we will have to wait and see how Microsoft plans to attract prospective subscribers to PC Game Pass moving forward. Hopefully, the replacement offer will prove to be a fair deal in the end.
Image via Bethesda Softworks
Published: Mar 28, 2023 02:10 pm