We've heard Microsoft is soon planning to debut a new contract-based monthly subscription service dubbed "Xbox All Access," offering the cheapest way to get an Xbox console, Xbox Live, and Xbox Game Pass.
Update August 27, 2018: Microsoft has officially announced Xbox All Access, confirming our previous information listed below.
Details: How Xbox All Access works
As always, plans can (and do) change, but if what we've heard is accurate, Microsoft is looking to unveil its new "Xbox All Access" service later this month. If you're wondering why it wasn't announced at Gamescom 2018 in Germany, it's because it's looking like it's US-only. The service was originally teased by The Verge's Tom Warren on Twitter, we've since confirmed some more of the details with our own sources.
Customers will be able to pay $21.99 per month and net themselves an Xbox One S, Xbox Live, and Xbox Game Pass for two years. $34.99 will net them an Xbox One X.
Paying upfront, an Xbox One S costs around $230 on the Microsoft Store with a free game. Xbox Live currently costs $59.99 on the Microsoft Store for a year, with Xbox Game Pass costing $9.99 per month. You can often get Xbox Live cards cheaper through Amazon, or other associated deals, but at the retail price, Xbox All Access should work out a little cheaper over time than paying for all of these services outright. After the two year contract period has been fully paid, users will own their consoles as expected. Xbox All Access will be powered by Dell's Preferred Account system, similar to financing options available for Surface devices.
If accurate, Xbox All Access will debut for US customers in the near future, through the Microsoft Store and possibly other retailers. It could be the easiest, cheapest way yet to access the Xbox One family, spreading the cost out over two years, while also guaranteeing developers a boost in long-term Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, guaranteeing a larger player base on the service. Microsoft is pursuing Xbox Game Pass aggressively, supporting the service with an all-new app for mobile devices, while cutting various deals with big-name third-party titles. Xbox All Access seems like it'd be the logical next step.
