Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass has received a big upgrade that affects the gaming experiences on all platforms. There are a lot of features that are getting improvements, and subscirbers will see bigger libraries and perks in free games.
A key highlight was the expansion of benefits for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members. In addition to the broad game library, subscribers now also get in-game bonuses for various free-to-play titles. This includes cosmetic items, new characters, and in-game currency for games like Heroes of the Storm, Naraka: Bladepoint, and The Finals. These perks are set to grow further in April, with more free-to-play games like Call of Duty: Warzone and Enlisted expected to receive similar benefits.
Microsoft will refresh these perks regularly, which means there should be new perks for subscribers. You can see these benefits through the Game Pass tab, the Home page for Xbox, the Game Pass sections of the Xbox interface, and directly on the participating game pages.
Microsoft did not reveal when these perks reset or change, but it may take longer than a month to see changes. Perks can take a while to get because Microsoft needs to make deals with developers, and contracts may take a lot of time to sign. I would expect a change in perks every quarter or at some similar time.
Xbox Cloud Gaming also had some major upgrades. One significant change is a new feature that allows players to switch seamlessly between different Assassin’s Creed titles available on the cloud without needing to return to the main Game Pass page. This feature removes the hassle of returning to the home screen, but it is through the regular launcher called Animus Hub in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Ubisoft originally released Animus Hub and claimed it was not just another launcher, but it came out and is mostly just another launcher. It works on the Xbox Game Pass now instead of just the main console games. Other games are only playable if you own them, but maybe the game will work with Game Pass, as Origins and Odyssey are on Game Pass.
What is interesting is that Ubisoft’s own initiative may have started this easy-switch feature, but it is expected to roll out to more cloud games soon. It is unclear what games may be able to do this or how, but apparently, Microsoft has some kind of plan for it. It will likely only work with games that share the same developer or those that are part of a series.
Additionally, the “Stream Your Own Game” option, meant for Game Pass Ultimate members to stream their games on supported devices, has seen a big boost in its game library, now including titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Gotham Knights, Party Animals, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Wobbly Life. More games, like Planet Coaster 2 and Planet Zoo: Console Edition are also on the way for this service.
The more games that can be streamed, the better. Streaming games are great for those with a PC that can’t play games but pay for fast internet and a Wi-Fi cable. The more the library expands, the better it is for players. I’m still waiting for EA games to allow streaming on Game Pass since those games have been available on Game Pass but not on the cloud service.
This pairs well with the upgrade to the PC game bar. The redesigned Xbox Game Bar brought a new look and came with new widgets to easily access tools, like the Home Bar, Capture widget, Performance widget, Resource widget, and Widget Store. All these should be rolled out as the month goes on.
Source: Microsoft
