A free version of Game Pass but with ads? Microsoft is seriously thinking about it

Microsoft seems to be exploring other avenues for its goose that lays golden eggs. Game Passincluding a system similar to freemium on mobile.

In any case, this is what we can gather from numerous sources, including statements from Tim Stuart, financial director of Microsoft’s gaming branch. Elements of code in the Xbox Series The general idea would be to allow access to Game Pass for free, subject to compulsory viewing of advertisements.

Xbox Game Ads?

If Microsoft is struggling when it comes to hardware sales compared to the PS5 and Nintendo Switch, the heart of its strategy clearly revolves around Game Pass. The American giant had even touched on the idea of ​​bringing its subscription service to competing platforms. An idea which was, however, quickly dispelled by Phil Spencer, boss of Xbox.

However, there is no shortage of projects around Game Pass, including one apparently consisting of making it accessible for free… provided you go through the advertising box. Tim Stuart has in any case considered it by possibly using xCloud, Xbox’s cloud gaming service, currently integrated into Game Pass Ultimate.

“ For models like Africa, India or Asia, countries for which the console is not a priority, with a young population mainly equipped with mobile devices, we could for example offer them to watch 30 seconds of advertisements to play on Game Pass for two hours in streaming? » he said.

Already profound changes internally?

Such a concept imagined by Microsoft is actually not that recent, a survey having already been conducted in this direction among users who are members of the Xbox Insider program. The result of the investigation has not been communicated, but internal changes appear to have already been made.

Lines of code within the Xbox Series X|S operating system have indeed been discovered. These describe a system similar to that described by Tim Stuart. There is talk of an allotted access time to Game Pass (around fifteen minutes), in exchange for compulsory viewing of advertisements for a few seconds.

Such a system is reminiscent of that used by freemium mobile games. In another register, this also reminds us of the “error” encountered by Ubisoft during Black Friday, with invasive advertisements appearing in Assassin’s Creed Mirage to promote other games in the license. For the moment, however, there is no indication that Microsoft will really implement this new system.

And you, what do you think of such a perspective? Would you be willing to put up with watching ads in order to access a catalog of games for free? Don’t hesitate to share your opinion in the comments!

Source : TweakTown