Xbox Game Pass family plan has been considered, says Phil Spencer
A family plan would be perfect for households with multiple Xbox consoles
Xbox could offer a "family" plan for Xbox Game Pass, according to a tweet from Xbox boss Phil Spencer.
In the exchange below on Twitter, Spencer replies to a user asking if the company would consider a "family" subscription plan for Xbox Game Pass, similar to Spotify's feature. "It's something we'd like to do," Spencer replies. "For multiple family members with consoles a family plan would help."
We have. It's something we'd like to do. There is Home console feature for one console household but for multiple family members with consoles a family plan would help. Really appreciate the feedback.December 9, 2020
Obviously, Xbox Game Pass doesn't currently offer a package for households with multiple Xbox consoles, including the Xbox Series X. The service is offered strictly on a single-console basis, as a purchase of Xbox Game Pass is tied exclusively to a single Xbox account, and one Xbox account can't be used on multiple consoles at once.
The example that the Twitter user above puts forth is that of Apple and Spotify's family plans. These two music streaming giants both have family plans which allow multiple users to stream music under the same account, from multiple devices at exactly the same time. The same family plan exists on other streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime for movies and TV shows.
There's no doubting Xbox Game Pass as one of the best-value deals in gaming at the moment. Adding in a family plan to the service that offers hundreds of games under one monthly subscription fee would be one hell of a bonus for households with multiple consoles, or for groups that want to spread the cost of Game Pass across several users. This obviously isn't confirmation from Microsoft that they plan on introducing the feature for Xbox Game Pass, but it's still a positive sign that Spencer and the team at Xbox are actively discussing a family plan.
There might be hundreds upon hundreds of games included with Xbox's ambitious streaming service, but for our pick of the very best games on offer, you can head over to our guide on the best Xbox Game Pass games for more. We've also rounded up the latest Xbox Game Pass deals.
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Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.