Xbox is apparently thinking of launching a free tier for its Game Pass subscription with a few catches, The Sun reported on Tuesday.
Xbox CFO Tim Stuart hinted that the console and gaming provider is aiming to reach "places that aren't console-first." Stuart named Africa, India, and Southeast Asia as possible first recipients of the supposed free tier.
This is in line with parent company Microsoft's goal to expand the Game Pass as much as it can.
The catch is that free-tier subscribers will have to "watch 30 seconds of an ad and then get two hours of game streaming." Of course, the ads cannot be skipped without paying for the full service.
Xbox Game Pass is available for $10.99 per month.
When Will the Free Xbox Game Pass Release?
There is no date or planned schedule as to when the supposed free-to-play access of Xbox's subscription service will be available. In fact, the free pass itself is not yet guaranteed.
Stuart previously claimed that Xbox is looking to expand its Game Pass service to rival consoles like PlayStation and Nintendo, a statement Xbox executive Phil Spencer later walked back.
What is sure that Xbox has already developed a console dedicated to Game Pass only, codenamed the Keystone. There is no release date for Keystone, as well.
Spencer said the company is aiming to put a $99 price tag on Keystone once it rolls out.
Game Pass Growth Over the Past Years
It has been over six years since Xbox launched the Game Pass service, a much more affordable alternative for gamers to play multiple games on their console.
The subscription service is offering more than 100 games available at their first-day release, including best-seller Starfield and Forza Motorsport.
Xbox is currently planning to expand the features and offers for its higher-tier subscription for both console and computer platforms.
The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is worth $16.99 per month, but allows early access gameplay via the Xbox Cloud Gaming Beta.
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