Xbox Game Pass now open to Xbox Insiders on the Beta ring

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass

After an initial test with Xbox Insiders on the Alpha ring, Microsoft is now testing its new Xbox Game Pass with those on the Beta ring. Microsoft opened up testing to Beta users today, bringing its initial buffet of test catalog games to even more users.

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While Game Pass will cost $10 per month when it launches later this spring, it's free to Insiders throughout testing. The pass gives you unlimited access to a set catalog of games that includes the likes of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Sunset Overdrive, XCOM: Enemy Within, and many more. It's not clear if this initial lineup of games will change once the service launches in full, but more games will definitely be added as time goes on.

Everything you need to know about Xbox Game Pass

While we don't have a firm launch date for Game Pass yet, Microsoft has promised Gold subscribers will get first access. As for Xbox Insiders, Microsoft recently announced that its testing will end on April 7, so Beta Ring members won't have too long to test the service.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

10 Comments
  • Will it be like EA Access where once its in its in forever or will the games rotate regularly?
  • The games will rotate regularly. Phil Spencer keeps likening it to Netflix. 
  • In an interview, Phil Spencer said that games will rotate in and out. But he did state that he's only saying that in an act of 100% transparency since 3rd party publishers can indeed choose to withdraw their games from the service. In reality, he doesn't see games leaving the service on a monthly basis or anything like that but he does intend to see games added regularly
  • I hope they bring it out of Beta ASAP then. I have $10 in MS rewards that are about to expire because there's no games I feel are worth their price -$10. Maybe a discount from Game pass on something will change that.
  • Can you not use them to buy an MS gift card?
  • Sadly that's what's expiring. The Xbox gift cards only last a specific time (which I think is very wrong) but what ever, if nothing good is on sale by the time it expires I'll find something for $10.
  • Can you not buy another gift card, with the gift card? I have done that before, although not an MS store.
  • Damn I didn't realize they expire. I agree, that is wrong!
  • That's not a bad suggestion. I just confirmed you can actually buy them directly through the store. When I have time I'll see if they allow gift cards to be bought with gift cards. I know some places don't allow that (Amazon). Thanks for the suggestion, I think I just blocked it from my mind.
  • Hey guys. I'm on ring 4 and I've just received my very first update!!!