In January 2024, Microsoft will no longer provide most of its 238,000 employees with free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
According to The Verge on Nov. 2, starting next year, most Microsoft employees will lose their free access to the company’s gaming subscription services. They will still, however, be able to purchase the 12-month subscription at a reduced price. Xbox employees, on the other hand, will not be affected.
Many Microsoft employees were reportedly not happy with this decision and have voiced their concerns to the company board. The word even reached Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who claims he wasn’t aware of this decision and will look into it.
Microsoft has not provided game pass subscriber numbers for almost two years now. But with the recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, Microsoft may be well on its way to boosting its subscriber number. Many players have also chosen Xbox and PC Game Pass for playing games such as Starfield, which is still popular even months after release.
Starting in 2024, Microsoft will add Activision and Blizzard games to the service, maybe even a World of Warcraft monthly subscription, potentially boosting its number of subscribers even further.
All signs point to Game Pass having a bright future, so it’s no wonder Microsoft employees are upset about losing this benefit. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers subscribers access to hundreds of games on both Xbox and PC, game streaming, and free in-game items, all for $16.99 per month. While that may not seem like a huge price, it hurts that those who work directly for the company aren’t guaranteed to get this service for free.
It will be interesting to see how Microsoft will move forward after this decision and what the future holds for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
