Xbox has a new Game Pass tier in testing: "Starter Edition" appears in the code, includes limited cloud streaming and first party games

More information is emerging about Xbox Game Pass' mysterious new tiers, and now we seem to have a name.

A short while ago, third-party Xbox Cloud Gaming developer @redphx revealed a new Xbox Game Pass tier while reverse engineering the service's codebase. Redphx was also the first point of call for new information about Xbox Game Pass' big restructure from last year.

Xbox Game Pass has been in the news a fair bit recently. Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma reversed the 50% price hike Xbox Game Pass Ultimate received last year owing to Call of Duty's inclusion — pledging to make it more affordable. It seems Sharma wants to make it even more affordable.

Detailed on X, @redphx revealed more information about the new Xbox Game Pass tier, codenamed Triton/Duet. Microsoft seems to be gearing up to call it the "Starter Edition."

Previous information about Triton/Duet suggests that it will sport a fairly solid offering of Xbox first party titles. So far, this seems to include: DOOM Eternal, DOOM 64, Dishonored 2, Fable Anniversary, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, Hellblade, Ori and the Blind Forest, Psychonauts, State of Decay 2, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Retro Classics. Additionally, it seems Xbox Game Pass "Starter Edition" will include Xbox Cloud Gaming, albeit with monthly time limits.

It very much seems like Xbox Game Pass' new Starter Edition will be cheaper still than even the Xbox Game Pass Essentials tier, which currently runs at $9.99 per month.

I would assume that this tier is firmly aimed at potential cloud gaming customers on TV sets. With this tier, you would presumably be able to access some of the free cloud games on the service, including Fortnite, in addition to the buy-to-own cloud games, of which there are now several hundred.

Microsoft has long identified peoples' lack of free time and competition for attention from social media and the like as major barriers to finding new Xbox users. At a time where most subscription services are ballooning in price, rather than getting more affordable, an option like this could be a great way to get people to give Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Cloud Gaming a try.

A more modular, nimble Xbox Game Pass

It's not confirmed that the "Starter Edition" will ever go public beyond testing, but it is true that Microsoft is exploring ways to make Xbox Game Pass more appealing.

I revealed in reporting recently that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is looking to make Xbox Game Pass more modular and customizable. Imagine if you don't want to pay for Xbox Cloud Gaming, but you want all the other benefits — maybe you can remove cloud gaming and add some other benefit instead, like Call of Duty or World of Warcraft's subscription on top. It's very early days in this exploration, though.

I revealed last year that Microsoft is also working on ad-based tiers for Xbox Cloud Gaming, potentially making it even cheaper than this Starter Edition tier. Other streaming services have ad-supported tiers already, and given Bing's growing ad business (yes, it's growing!), it could be an easy tie-in for Microsoft. It's unclear whether or not the ad-based tiers will still emerge though, given that they were planned under the previous Xbox leadership regime.

There's no information yet about how Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition would be priced, what do you think would feel right for this potential service? Bundled by default with Samsung and LG TVs, I think Microsoft could have a pretty smart offering here to get newcomers into the service.

Couple it with the planned Wi-Fi capable Xbox controllers, and Xbox Cloud Gaming is increasingly becoming viable as a default way to game these days.

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