Xbox Game Pass for Beginners — What it is, how it works, and why it’s worth it

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s all-you-can-play gaming subscription, offering access to hundreds of titles across console, PC, and cloud. Whether you’re into blockbuster hits like Call of Duty and Starfield or indie gems like Hollow Knight and Cocoon, Game Pass gives you instant access without needing to buy each game outright.

But with multiple tiers, shifting features, and frequent updates, it’s easy to get confused. In this guide, we explain exactly what Xbox Game Pass is, how it works, how much it costs, and which plan is right for you —whether you're gaming on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, or even your phone.

Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft's Netflix-style subscription service serves a huge library of varied titles for a monthly fee. From hit franchises to experimental indies, Xbox Game Pass has value for all.

Buy from: Amazon | CDKeys

What is Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass is a monthly subscription service that gives you access to a rotating library of games across Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, and the cloud. Think of it like Netflix for gaming — you pay a flat fee, and you can download or stream hundreds of games as long as you stay subscribed.

There are four main tiers:

• Xbox Game Pass Core: Includes online multiplayer and a small library of curated games for console players.
• Xbox Game Pass Standard: Offers hundreds of console games and multiplayer access, but delays new Xbox-published titles by several months.
• PC Game Pass: Includes hundreds of PC games and day-one access to Xbox-published titles.
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you all of the above, as well as day-one premium games like Call of Duty, and cloud gaming access.
• An old tier, dubbed Xbox Game Pass Console, has been deprecated. It's still available for current subscribers as long as their subscriptions remain active. It is no longer available for new users.
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Combines all the above — console, PC, cloud gaming, multiplayer, EA Play, Riot Games perks, and more.

Xbox Game Pass incorporates hundreds of games, with different libraries available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles, Windows PCs, and cloud-based streaming games via the web, and via touch or Bluetooth controllers on Android from the Xbox Game Pass app. The service is now also available on Amazon Fire Stick 4K devices, as well as Samsung TVs via their Gaming Hub.

While subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, you get access to all of these games as if you have full license entitlement. Players on your Xbox can also access the same titles, as long as you're signed into your account. It makes it a great way to share a large library of games with your family at home. 

You can sign up on the console or on the Microsoft website. Once you're subscribed, you can manage your subscription from your console, too. On the latest versions of the OS, Game Pass has its own tab inside "My games and apps" and games can be installed directly from here without needing to go to the store.

Xbox Game Pass plans and prices compared

Xbox Game Pass offers four main subscription tiers, each with different features, platforms, and pricing. Whether you're a casual console player or a cross-platform power user, there's a plan that fits your playstyle — and your budget.

Here’s how each Xbox Game Pass plan stacks up:

What is Xbox Game Pass Core?

Xbox Game Pass Core is the entry-level tier, replacing Xbox Live Gold. It includes online multiplayer access for paid games and a rotating library of ~36 curated Xbox titles. It’s ideal for players who mostly stick to a few multiplayer games like FIFA or Call of Duty and want occasional access to older hits.

• Price: $9.99/month or $59.99/year
• Includes: Online multiplayer, discounts, small game library
• Does not include: Cloud gaming, day-one titles, PC access (but cloud is coming soon as per the Xbox Insider update)

What is Xbox Game Pass Standard?

Game Pass Standard is designed for console players who want access to a large library of games but don’t need day-one releases. New Xbox-published titles like Fable or DOOM: The Dark Ages may arrive 6–12 months after launch.

• Price: $14.99/month
• Includes: 300+ Xbox games, online multiplayer, discounts
• Does not include: Cloud gaming, day-one titles, PC access (cloud coming soon)

What is PC Game Pass?

PC Game Pass is tailored for Windows gamers. It includes hundreds of PC titles and day-one access to Xbox-published games like Avowed and Starfield. It also supports Xbox Play Anywhere for cross-save and cross-play on select titles.

What is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?

Ultimate is the all-in-one tier for gamers who want it all, console, PC, cloud, multiplayer, and perks. It’s the only plan that includes Xbox Cloud Gaming, EA Play, Riot Games unlocks, and exclusive monthly perks like free trials and in-game bonuses.

• Price: $19.99/month
• Includes: Full game library across all platforms, cloud gaming, day-one titles, multiplayer, EA Play, Riot perks, discounts
• Best for: Variety gamers, families, and anyone who plays across devices

Does Xbox Game Pass have a family plan?

We exclusively reported that an Xbox Game Pass Family Plan is indeed on the way, subject to negotiations with Microsoft's publisher partners. Microsoft later confirmed it, and begun testing the Family Plan in Ireland and Colombia, before being phased out for a rethink, of sorts. 

In an exclusive interview with us, Xbox lead Phil Spencer confirmed that the Family Plan will return in the future, although the timeline remains vague. Microsoft is still working through licensing agreements with publishing partners to ensure fair revenue splits across shared accounts. We'll be sure to update you when we know more. 

The latest information suggests that Microsoft is still negotiating what the Family Plan will look like with its publishing partners, and hasn't yet given up on the concept. 

How many games are on Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass includes access to hundreds of games across console, PC, and cloud, but the exact number depends on your subscription tier and platform. As of August 2025 here's a rough breakdown:

• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 300+ Xbox console games, 450+ PC games, 250+ cloud-streamable games (with growing touch support).
• PC Game Pass: 450+ PC games, including day-one Xbox-published titles
• Xbox Game Pass Standard: 300+ Xbox console games (day-one titles arrive 6–12 months post-launch)
• Xbox Game Pass Core: 41 curated Xbox games, rotated periodically

The library spans every genre, from AAA blockbusters like Starfield, Diablo IV, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, to indie favorites like Slay the Spire, Venba, and Spiritfarer. It also includes backward-compatible classics from the Xbox 360 and original Xbox eras.

Microsoft adds new titles to Game Pass every month, often including surprise drops and indie debuts. First-party games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and Activision-Blizzard typically launch day-one on Game Pass, but only for PC and Ultimate subscribers.

But just as games regularly enter the rotation, games also regularly leave Game Pass. Any non-Microsoft game will likely leave at some point, so you should treat it as such and play those you like the look of as soon as you can. You can always buy games at a discount before they leave, and your save data is preserved via Xbox Cloud Saves even if you unsubscribe.

The complete list of Xbox Game Pass titles is linked below, and we update it every month with the latest titles. The catalog has a good selection of classic Xbox and Xbox 360 games that also work on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles.

RELATED: Full list of Xbox Game Pass titles: console, PC, and cloud

What is Xbox Game Pass Core — and does Xbox Live Gold still exist?

Xbox Game Pass Core is Microsoft’s replacement for Xbox Live Gold, offering online multiplayer access and a small library of curated games for console players. It launched in 2023 and now serves as the entry-level tier in the Game Pass ecosystem.

What is Xbox Cloud Gaming?

Xbox Cloud Gaming is Microsoft’s game streaming service that lets you play console-quality games on devices that don’t have the hardware to run them natively. It’s included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (but soon to be added to other tiers) and works across phones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, and even web browsers.

Instead of downloading a game to your console or PC, you stream it directly from Microsoft’s servers — similar to how Netflix streams movies. This means you can jump into titles like Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, or Halo Infinite instantly, without waiting for installs or updates.

Xbox Cloud Gaming supports Bluetooth controllers and touch controls on selected games, and now includes a huge library of “Stream Your Own Game” support for owned titles. Since summer 2024, Microsoft partnered with Amazon to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to the Amazon Fire Stick 4K line up, making it viable with any HDMI display. You simply connect your Xbox controller with Bluetooth to your Amazon Fire Stick, and you're good to go. Xbox Cloud Gaming is also available as an app to download on many modern Samsung TVs, with direct Bluetooth to TV controller pairing.

Cloud Gaming is especially useful for testing games before downloading, playing on the go, or using devices like the ROG Ally or Meta Quest 3. Microsoft continues to expand support, with new features like touch-optimized controls and plans to allow purchased games to be added to your cloud library.

What is Xbox Play Anywhere?

Xbox Play Anywhere is a program that gives players dual entitlement to the PC and Xbox console versions of a game with a single purchase. They also come with cross-platform save syncing as standard. If your "purchase" is via the Xbox Game Pass subscription, you benefit from the same progress syncing features. Even if you unsubscribe and lose access to the games, you won't lose access to your save. Cloud saves on Xbox are free forever. 

With an Xbox Game Pass subscription, PC gamers are able to play Xbox Play Anywhere titles, such as Sea of Thieves, without purchase if they have a Game Pass subscription on their Xbox console. Future first-party titles that are also Play Anywhere will also be included in the same way.

Games published by Microsoft as part of Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, or Activision-Blizzard are typically Xbox Play Anywhere as standard, meaning your save files transfer between console and PC seamlessly. There are some cross-progress and cross-play exceptions, however, like Fallout 76. Some games simply weren't designed with Xbox Play Anywhere in mind, making retroactive code updates difficult. Some games utilize their own cross-progression features, though. Diablo IV for example, uses Battle.net for its save syncing, rather than Xbox cloud saves. 

It should be noted that not every single game in Xbox Game Pass supports Xbox Play Anywhere between PC and Xbox consoles. But, games played via Xbox Cloud Gaming are on the same ecosystem as Xbox console gaming, meaning the saves transfer there seamlessly. If a game is Xbox Play Anywhere supported, it will say so in the Xbox app on PC, tagged with "Xbox cloud saves" or "Xbox Play Anywhere." 

Sadly it's not entirely clear at a glance which games are, or aren't supported with cross-platform progression or entitlement. 

Does Xbox Game Pass work on PC?

It does! There's also a dedicated PC Game Pass. It can be subscribed to on its own or as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes console, PC, and cloud gaming access. PC Game Pass also gets day one Xbox published titles, for $10.99 per month as of writing. 

PC Game Pass titles are installed via the Xbox app on Windows 10 and Windows 11, which should be preinstalled on most computers. Simply type "Xbox" into your Start Menu to find it if it's there, and then pin it to your taskbar or Start Menu for quick access by right clicking the icon. You can also download it from here.

The best thing about Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with Xbox and PC Game Pass is that it includes cloud saves as standard. For many games that are on both Xbox and console, it includes Xbox Play Anywhere progress save syncing. Start Monster Hunter Rise or Forza Motorsport on Xbox, and pick it up afterwards on your ASUS ROG Ally or gaming PC. Not all games support this, though, sadly. 

Note: An added benefit of PC Game Pass is integration with NVIDIA GeForce Now. If you're a user of NVIDIA GeForce Now cloud gaming, you can link your account to PC Game Pass, and take your PC Game Pass titles on the go via cloud streaming. 

Will I get a discount to buy the games if I like them?

Yep. Game Pass subscribers will get an exclusive discount to buy the games and related downloadable content (DLC) if you want to buy-to-own before the game leaves the service. 

How do I cancel Xbox Game Pass? And what happens if I do?

Games are available to play, in full, only for as long as you're a paying subscriber. If you cancel your subscription, you lose access to said games. You can purchase the games to own, though, with an included discount. 

It should be noted, though, if you're a current Xbox Game Pass Console tier subscriber: if you unsubscribe, you will permanently lose access to the tier. This tier is deprecated, and is slated for deletion in the future. Microsoft wants users on the Xbox Game Pass Console tier to move either to Xbox Game Pass Standard or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. 

You can cancel Xbox Game Pass easily over on Microsoft's account page website, in the subscriptions section. 

Note: Additionally, know that you won't lose your save games even if you cancel. 

What are Xbox Game Pass' supported countries?

The full list of Xbox / PC Game Pass countries currently reads as such: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Xbox Game Pass Deals and Discounts

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is one of the best-value subscriptions in gaming, but savvy players know there are ways to get it for less. Whether you're a new subscriber or a long-time member, you can keep an eye on our dedicated Best Xbox Game Pass prices hub.

Xbox Game Pass subscriptions can be bought and applied to your account by way of a code, which can be bought from a number of third-party retailers. One good place to keep an eye on is Amazon, where deals are fairly common, including such offers as buy one, get one free on three-month subscription codes which have been known in the past.

Another retailer to check out is CDKeys where you can always save some money, including on three-month subscription codes, but watch out for region locks on some of the codes.

And that's a wrap! 

This hopefully answers some of the questions you have about Xbox Game Pass, and we'll keep this post updated as any new information becomes available. 

If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below. 

Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft's Netflix-style subscription service serves a huge library of varied titles for a monthly fee. From hit franchises to experimental indies, Xbox Game Pass has value for all.

Buy from: Amazon | CDKeys