Microsoft announces ‘Xbox Game Pass’ subscription service for Xbox One; To release Spring

Microsoft has announced a new subscription service for Xbox One owners that will give them access to over 100 Xbox One and backward compatible Xbox 360 games. The subscription service, titled Xbox Game Pass, will give subscribers a full game download, it will not be a game streaming service.

The subscription program will allow Xbox owners to "download and experience games in their full fidelity from top industry publishers and play offline for up to 30 days."

Xbox Game Pass will cost $9.99 per month and will include games from a number of developers. According to Microsoft, the following developers will be supporting the subscription service with their games:

• 2K
• 505 Games
• BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
• Capcom, Codemasters
• Deep Silver
• Focus Home Interactive
• SEGA
• SNK CORPORATION
• THQ Nordic GmbH
• Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Microsoft Studio

EA will not be participating in the program. This is likely because EA has their own subscription based gaming service on the Xbox One, EA Access which is $4.99 a month/$30 a year.

As for which games will be in the program, Halo 5: Guardians, Payday 2, NBA 2K16, SoulCalibur II and LEGO Batman were outright named, however, Gears of War 4, Saints Row 4, Mad Max, Megaman Legacy Collection, Terraria, Fable 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament were all included in advertisement imagery for the game.

The games available in the Xbox Game Pass will update monthly, which suggests there will be a cycle in which games are available. While subscribed to the service, users will be able to purchase games at 20% off the price of the base game and get an additional 10% off any related DLC and consumables "while the game is still in the Xbox Game Pass catalog."

If your subscription lapses, the games you downloaded via the program will no longer be available, however, progress and achievements will remain attached to your account.