Microsoft quietly launches Work & Play Bundle, combines four popular subscriptions into one

[Shawn Knight]

If you’ve been contemplating a jump into Microsoft’s vast software ecosystem, now may be the perfect time to strike. The Redmond-based company has taken several of its most popular subscription services and quietly packaged them into a single offering it's calling the Work & Play Bundle.

The aptly-named bundle includes Office 365 Home, Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Music Pass and Skype Unlimited World + Wi-Fi.

Office 365 includes access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access as well as 1TB of OneDrive storage in the cloud. Xbox Live offers gamers a wealth of online incentives while Xbox Music Pass offers access to millions of songs ad-free across a wealth of devices.

Skype Unlimited World + Wi-Fi offers unlimited calling to landlines and mobile devices in Canada, China, Guam, Hong Kong SAR, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Thailand and the United States (landline-only calls can also be placed to a wealth of other countries) as well as Wi-Fi access at over 2 million hotspots around the globe.

The Work & Play Bundle offers all of this for $199 for 12 months which is roughly the same price as paying for Office 365 and Xbox Music Pass separately. Viewed in that light, you’re basically getting Xbox Live Gold and Skype Unlimited World + Wi-Fi for free.

Buyers will receive codes to redeem online for each product.

The offer is only good in the US and interestingly enough, can only be purchased at a physical Microsoft Store. As of writing, there are only 103 such stores in the US so that certainly limits how many bundles Microsoft will end up selling.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/58780-microsoft-quietly-launches-work-play-bundle-combines-four.html

 

[treeski]

It's a nice idea, but I wish it was more piecemeal. I would have no use for Skype premium. The Xbox Music subscription would be great if it had a profile system like Netflix does. There is no way I am paying for an expensive music subscription service that won't work independently for my different family members.

 

[Kibaruk]

What good is Xbox live if I don't own an xbox console? I'm not being critic, really want to know if there is a benefit.

 

[treeski]

What good is Xbox live if I don't own an xbox console? I'm not being critic, really want to know if there is a benefit.

There is no benefit.

 

[Guest]

Haha... can't argue that one..

 

[Xclusiveitalian]

$199 for 12 months is a ripoff. Libre Office is not only completely free but faster and doesn't crash as often as garbage office. Xbox live can be bought cheaper on its own although id recommend never buying an xbox when the better ps4 is available. Skype isn't worth having. Xbox music pass...don't make me laugh.

 

[Jad Chaar]

$199 for 12 months is a ripoff. Libre Office is not only completely free but faster and doesn't crash as often as garbage office. Xbox live can be bought cheaper on its own although id recommend never buying an xbox when the better ps4 is available. Skype isn't worth having. Xbox music pass...don't make me laugh.

It is personal preference man. Plus, consumers will buy into anything they think is a good deal. That is who MS is targeting. Also, Office is a must-have for people who need advanced formatting features that open source alternatives most likely lack.

 

[Kibaruk]

$199 for 12 months is a ripoff. Libre Office is not only completely free but faster and doesn't crash as often as garbage office. Xbox live can be bought cheaper on its own although id recommend never buying an xbox when the better ps4 is available. Skype isn't worth having. Xbox music pass...don't make me laugh.

Lol to office crashing, replace your toaster please. Also, don't come into a forum shoving your opinion to everyone, try at least to make a point you can actually defend.

Also when LibreOffice spreadsheets are as robust as Excel I might think about it.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I suppose if you use all those services then it's probably a pretty sweet deal. The only MS product I use today is Windows and I don't see it on the list