Microsoft's Xbox division is responsible for a variety of gaming innovations we now take for granted. Direct-to-digital, at home cloud-based gaming multiplayer, achievements, among other things — but its subscription services are what gave Xbox it's biggest business wins.
We had Xbox Live in the past, but it has since evolved into Xbox Game Pass, a Netflix-like all-you-can-eat gaming subscription service, officially launched in 2017. The service has long been called the "best deal in gaming," although price hikes and restructures have tarnished its image throughout 2025, as analysts wonder if the deal was actually simply too good to be true.
Essential Xbox Game Pass reading
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