Xbox Game Pass Subscribers Will Have to Wait 12 Months or More for Some Of Ultimate’s Biggest Releases

Microsoft says those who subscribe to its Game Pass Standard tier won’t see day-one game releases for up to a full year – if not longer – after they launch.

Xbox clarified what day one releases will look like going forward in a recent Xbox Wire post. While Game Pass Ultimate players will continue to see brand-new experiences launch on the service at no additional cost, those who subscribe to the Standard tier will wait up to 12 months or more to see those same titles arrive.

Microsoft first revealed Standard in July as an option without day one releases, leaving many fans to wonder how long they would have to wait. Now we know.

Game Pass Standard subscribers might have a long wait for certain day-one games.“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),” Microsoft explained today. “We’ll continue to share with all Game Pass members when games are being added and available to play for each plan.”

Game Pass Standard is set to go live in the coming months and follows a series of price increases also announced in July. When Standard does arrive, it will leave Xbox players with four options to choose from: Core ($9.99/month), Standard ($14.99/month), PC ($11.99/month), and Ultimate ($19.99/month). So while console owners looking to save $5 per month may find that Standard tier enticing, they should know that they’ll have to wait quite a bit longer to play highly anticipated titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

Best Xbox Game Pass GamesWe’ll learn more about how Standard operates when it arrives. Microsoft has tweaked its Game Pass offerings more than a few times, so if you’re still confused about how it all works, you can read our breakdown here. Then, be sure to see why the FTC wasn’t happy with the recently announced price increases and why some analysts think they were inevitable.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

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