Looking ahead: Asha Sharma announced her intention to reinvigorate the Xbox business immediately after taking over Microsoft's gaming division in February. While it is too soon to know the full extent of the company's plans as the next console generation approaches, they may involve a renewed push to grow Game Pass, according to people familiar with the matter.
Making Microsoft's PC and console game subscription service more affordable would run counter to the multiple price hikes the service has received in recent years. However, reports indicate that the gaming division's new leadership intends to shift to a more offensive stance.
Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters, who has spoken with Sharma since her promotion, predicts that she will invest more in Game Pass's growth. He contrasted the strategy with the price hikes, which were more defensive actions aimed at reaching revenue targets. Other sources told The Information that she is considering lower-priced tiers and asked indie developers at the 2026 Game Developers Conference how Microsoft could convince them to support Game Pass.
The cheapest plan, Game Pass Essential, currently costs $10 a month but includes only around 50 console and PC games. For $15, Premium offers a 200-game library that includes recent releases and shorter streaming wait times. The $30 Ultimate tier unlocks access to over 500 titles, certain day-one releases, EA Play, Ubisoft+, and the best streaming quality. Meanwhile, a $16.50 PC-only option offers hundreds of games, day-one titles, and EA Play.
According to reports from late last year, Microsoft is also testing a free, ad-supported streaming plan that includes retro games, titles players already own, and a few other selections. However, it would require watching two minutes of pre-session ads and limit users to a few hours of play per month. The service would likely compete with Nvidia GeForce Now's free tier, which allows users to stream games they own from a selection of over 2,000 titles across multiple digital storefronts.
Sharma took over Xbox amid declining hardware sales and missed Game Pass growth targets. On her first day, she issued a memo outlining her plans for Xbox to refocus on the console despite Microsoft's ongoing expansion across PC and PlayStation 5. The company's next console, codenamed Project Helix, will support Xbox and PC games and is expected to debut in late 2027 at a premium price tag.