Microsoft rebrands Xbox Game Pass PC to 'PC Game Pass'

News
By Matt Brown
published

"PC Game Pass" is the new name for Microsoft's gaming subscription service.

Xbox Game Pass at Gamescom 2018
Xbox Game Pass at Gamescom 2018 (Image credit: Matt Brown / Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft has rebranded its Xbox Game Pass subscription service on PC to "PC Game Pass."
  • The service, formerly known as Xbox Game Pass for PC, has been distanced from Xbox branding with a new name and logo.
  • The company has also stated Sniper Elite 5, Pigeon Simulator, and Trek to Yomi are among new day-one additions to PC Game Pass.

Microsoft has rebranded Xbox Game Pass for PC, its gaming subscription service for Windows 10 and 11. The service, now named "PC Game Pass," ditches the former Xbox branding, as the company positions the Netflix-style service as central to future gaming plans.

The move distances Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass efforts from its Xbox console offerings, likely to help alleviate confusion caused by its Xbox business and physical Xbox hardware. While PC Game Pass has changed in name, the Xbox iconography remains prominent at this time. Microsoft has been steadily removing the Xbox name from recent PC marketing but is now announcing a formalized moniker for the service.

Microsoft has steadily expanded its Xbox branding far beyond home consoles, with various Xbox features and services across Windows, coupled with cloud gaming on iOS and Android. However, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S remain fundamental to Microsoft's gaming business, leaving Xbox Game Pass somewhat synonymous with its Xbox consoles.

It's been a busy quarter for PC Game Pass, with Xbox Game Studios projects like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 among recent additions to the service. Microsoft-published projects like Redfall and Starfield are also slated to launch into the service in 2022, accompanied by Total War: Warhammer III, STALKER 2, and other third-party titles. The company has confirmed Sniper Elite 5, Pigeon Simulator, and Trek to Yomi, as other day-one PC additions, following The Game Awards 2021.

Matt Brown
Matt Brown

Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central's Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft's gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter @mattjbrown.