What the service is
Xbox Game Pass is a video game subscription service offered by Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming division. Launched on June 1, 2017, it gives subscribers access to a game catalog for a recurring fee, rather than requiring an individual purchase of each title before play.
The simplest way to understand the service is as a digital library available while a subscription is active. Its catalog rotates, so games can be added or removed and a title’s availability is not necessarily permanent. Subscribers may also receive discounts on purchases of catalog games and related downloadable content.
Plans, catalog, and devices
The service has options for Xbox consoles and Windows PCs. Xbox Game Pass for console and PC Game Pass are separate subscriptions; Game Pass Ultimate combines access to both and includes Xbox Cloud Gaming, a cloud-based gaming feature, as well as Essential subscription benefits. These distinctions matter: Game Pass is not one identical plan with the same features on every device.
Access is available through Xbox consoles and computers, and, depending on the feature and compatible device, through cloud services, browsers, and smart TVs. The supported devices and terms depend on the plan and service availability. A subscription therefore does not mean every game can be played in the same way on every device.
New releases and what to check
The catalog includes games from multiple publishers, including studios affiliated with Xbox. New Xbox Game Studios titles have been available through the service at launch since January 2018, according to the supplied service description. That does not mean every game from every publisher is included on its release date; availability depends on the title and the applicable terms.
Before subscribing, check which games are currently available, whether the chosen plan works on your device, and which features it includes. Because titles can leave the catalog, anyone planning to keep playing a particular game should check whether it remains available and what purchase options exist. A subscription provides access under the service’s rules; it is not permanent ownership of every game in the library.