Ultimate Guide to Xbox Game Pass Family Plan

Microsoft has been testing a new Xbox Game Pass version that allows members to share their Game Pass Ultimate benefits with up to five individuals in a friends-and-family-style plan. However, after the testing period, Microsoft has decided to conclude the test preview, though there is a possibility that the plan may make a comeback in the future.

A spokesperson from Microsoft expressed enthusiasm about the positive reception of the Friends and Family plan among fans. The company now plans to assess the results of the test to develop an offer that can be made available to more players worldwide at a later time.

The trial period for the Friends and Family plan for Game Pass will conclude on August 15. Participants in the program will receive an “Xbox Game Pass offer” as a token of appreciation for their involvement.

Microsoft raised the prices of its Xbox Game Pass earlier this month and the Ultimate option now costs £12.99/month in the UK, whereas the console-only option costs £8.99. In addition, Microsoft reintroduced the £1 Game Pass trial. The Xbox Series X will also experience a price increase in most countries from the 1st of August.

In the UK, the console’s price will increase from £449.99 to £479.99, while in most European countries, it will increase from €499.99 to €549.99. This change will align the Series X’s price with Sony’s PlayStation 5, which increased its price in August of last year. There have been no announcements regarding price adjustments for the Xbox Series S.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer acknowledged price increases were likely to be on the way last October. “We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games and our subscription. I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever,” he said at the time.

So how much does Game Pass Family plan it cost?

During the ongoing tests in Ireland, the Xbox Game Pass Family Plan costs 21.99 Euros per month, and our earlier reporting stated that the tentative price for the U.S. is around $24.99, which aligns with the EU market test. The plan allows five users on a single plan in the same country. The Xbox Game Pass Family Plan is currently powered by Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which costs $14.99 for a single license. Splitting the cost between all five licenses means getting Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $5 per month, making it the cheapest way to get a deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. However, since this is only a test phase, the final price may change.

Microsoft is piloting the plan in two markets to observe its impact on user behavior and grow the number of active users in the subscription, further promoting the platform through virality. This is similar to how Netflix has allowed password sharing to inflate and self-perpetuate its market share and userbase. Nonetheless, Microsoft may determine that the current price target is too low for Xbox Game Pass to be economically viable, given the costs associated with content licensing and powering features like Xbox Cloud Gaming. The final price is still unknown.

What is included in the Game Pass Family Plan?

The Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family Plan, powered by Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, works similarly to Office 365, allowing you to share your plan with up to four family members within the same country, in addition to your personal subscription connected to your Microsoft Account. With the Xbox Game Pass Family Plan, you receive one main account and four additional accounts with full access to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Additionally, with Xbox game sharing, you can technically attach a sixth user by using the Xbox game sharing loophole. If you’re already an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, your remaining subscription will convert to Xbox Game Pass’ new family plan, accounting for the differences in value between the subscriptions.

However, any attached users’ existing remaining subscription time will not convert, and all users need a Microsoft Account. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers hundreds of downloadable games to play on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles, as well as on PC. You also get access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing you to stream and play a vast library of Xbox games on any Android device, any iOS device via the web, and any PC, with many games including touch controls. You also receive Xbox Game Pass perks, such as trials for services like Discord and streaming platforms like Paramount+, as well as skins for games. Additionally, you get exclusive discounts to purchase games to own if you or the game plan to exit the Xbox Game Pass service.

Does everybody in the plan need to live at the same address?

Microsoft has announced that members of the Family Plan can be from different households, but they must be in the same country. It is uncertain whether this restriction will carry over to the public version or if it is only applicable during the testing phase.

Microsoft may impose country-specific limitations in the future, but we cannot confirm this until Microsoft provides further clarification. It is peculiar to restrict access by country, considering the cloud-based nature of the Xbox Game Pass offerings.

Adding family members to your Microsoft Account

Adding family members to your Microsoft Account is a straightforward process that you can complete before the official launch of this plan. If you are not part of the Xbox Game Pass Ireland and Columbia Insider test, you can use Microsoft’s family section on their website to manage an array of family safety features for children, including granting screen time permissions, setting age restrictions on content, and implementing blockers for inappropriate websites on Microsoft Edge.

Head to your Microsoft Account page on the web and log in.
Scroll down to the bottom to find your family section, or head to this link to manage it directly.
From here, you can add family members, as well as set up screen time and permissions for youngsters who are attached to your account

Does the family plan work with Xbox console sharing?

People have been wondering if secondary users attached to their Xbox Game Pass Family Plan account could share access with others, due to a loophole in the Xbox licensing model that allows game and license sharing with a secondary user. However, Microsoft has confirmed that secondary users will not be able to share access beyond their own account, preventing a daisy chain effect that could undermine the economic viability of the service.

Nevertheless, you can still share your primary account’s Xbox Game Pass access using the dual-entitlement system, allowing you to sign in to a second Xbox with your cloud login while keeping another Xbox as your permanent “home” login. This essentially gives you an additional license to share with a friend, increasing the possible access total to six users. Although some have asked if the Xbox Game Pass Family Plan will allow game library sharing for non-Game Pass titles to other family members, there are no plans for this, as it only applies to Xbox Game Pass titles, although game sharing will work as usual between two users.

Also Read: Xbox Game Pass Adds Grand Theft Auto V in July