Xbox Insiders Can Test New Game Pass Standard Tier for $1

Xbox Game Pass Standard, the new Game Pass tier that Microsoft announced last month after discontinuing Xbox Game Pass for Console is now available for Xbox Insiders. Xbox Game Pass Standard is set to launch later this fall (the Xbox team still isn’t sharing a release date), but during the preview period, Xbox Insiders will need to pay just $1/month to try this new tier instead of $14.99.

With Xbox Game Pass Standard, Microsoft created a new tier that includes access to online multiplayer and hundreds of games from the Game Pass library, but no day-one releases. The latter are now exclusive to the now-discontinued Xbox Game Pass for Console (which didn’t include online multiplayer), PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

“Hundreds of great games will be available with Game Pass Standard at launch. Players will get access to select titles as part of the new Game Pass Standard library, with more games being added throughout the preview period,” the Xbox team said today. “Some games coming to Game Pass Ultimate (day one games or other game entries) will not be immediately available with Game Pass Standard and may be added to the library at a future date (can be up to 12 months or more and will vary by title).”

While this new Game Pass Standard is adding some complexity to the Game Pass lineup, it’s clear that Microsoft wants to push members to upgrade to the $19.99/month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier, which includes day-one titles, the EA Play library, plus access to Xbox Cloud Gaming. The Xbox team said today that it wanted to “give players more choice in how they discover and play games,” but discontinuing Xbox Game Pass for Console pretty much contradicts that.

If you’re an Xbox Insider, you can sign up for Xbox Game Pass Standard from the Xbox Insider app, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. The preview is available for all Insiders with a Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass subscription, but Game Pass Core members will need to have less than 2-months stacked onto their account to sign up.