Microsoft has revealed that is changing the name of the “Xbox Game Pass” name to “Game Pass.” It’s a subtle change, but the drop of the “Xbox” word, it may signal the company distancing the Game Pass subscription from being exclusively attached to the console. In addition, Microsoft is also rebranding the “Xbox Game Pass for PC” to “Game Pass for PC.”
According to Thurrott, even though, it’s unclear the reason of the change, the rebranding may be the beginning of a more significant transition. Microsoft recently stopped offering the 12-month subscription of Xbox Live from its official site, and it’s believed that the company is planning to retire the Xbox Live Gold service.
If true, it’s likely that Game Pass will be the way forward to play online using the platform.
Xbox Live Gold currently cost $9.99 per month, and Game Pass is also $9.99 per month. The ultimate subscription of Game Pass is $14.99 per month, and it includes Games Pass for PC as well as xCloud (when available).
Although it won’t cost you more than the Xbox Live Gold subscription per month, the service will be more expensive if the company doesn’t offer a discount with a 12-month subscription. Currently, Xbox Live Gold costs $9.99 per month, but if you purchase a 12-month subscription, it only costs $59.99 per year.
Update August 4, 2020: Microsoft has officially said that it has changed the logo design for “Xbox Game Pass” dropping the “Xbox” word from the title, but the name will continue to be same. This means that there’s no new name or changes to the service.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].