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Rumor: Xbox Game Pass priced lower, with promotional ads appearing

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Following in the footsteps of Netflix, Microsoft may plan to launch a package priced lower than the Xbox Game Pass service, with some conditions, including the appearance of promotional ads for subscribers.

This is what was monitored by Windows Central after publishing a poll on the ResetEra forum about users' willingness to pay a lower subscription price in exchange for some limitations on the services provided through the monthly service.

According to the survey, this limitation will be divided into two parts. The first is the appearance of promotional ads for subscribers of the Xbox Game Pass service, without revealing the details and how these ads appear. As for the second section, it is access to the games themselves 6 months after their launch.

The emergence of this survey does not necessarily mean that the ideas presented in it will be implemented, but it continues to be a focus of attention for Microsoft, especially after indications that prices for services and devices are expected to rise next year. The Xbox Game Pass service has also seen a decline in subscribers in recent months, which suggests that Microsoft is developing alternative, cheaper subscription plans in exchange for concessions on the services provided to attract more users to the service.

This isn't the first time we've heard about offering a monthly paid service with ads appearing for a lower price, as entertainment network Netflix has already started offering a monthly paid subscription at a lower price with promotional ads appearing for subscribers. Apparently, Microsoft is working to study the idea, monitoring community interaction with the Netflix plan and the opinion of the gaming community when applying it to their favorite service.

The Xbox Game Pass service has more than 25 million subscribers, according to Microsoft. The company also recently said, as part of the UK's investigation into its proposed acquisition of Activision, that it has a fan base of more than 63 million across its various domestic platforms.

Do you think offering a monthly subscription service at a lower price with promotional ads or delaying the availability of first-party games for half a year would be an attractive offer to attract more users to the service?