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Xbox may have paused its third-party Game Pass deals amidst its current restructuring efforts, according to industry sources. The troubled gaming gargantuan has been having a hard time over the past couple of years, leading to a great number of layoffs, a failed rebranding attempt, and other troubles. Amidst all this, Xbox Game Pass has remained structurally unaffected, though that too may change.
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Xbox Adding New Flexible Game Pass Options
It appears that Microsoft’s flagship gaming subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, could receive more flexible options as soon as summer 2026.
Though there were alleged plans for Microsoft to expand Xbox Game Pass earlier in 2026, the latest word is that the opposite may well happen instead. TheGamer reported on Arrowhead Studios CEO Shams Jorjani and Kaboodle Games’ Fernando Rizo’s Business of Video Games Podcast, where the pair discussed First Playable, a recent industry trade show held in Italy. On the podcast, Rizo said that “Word on the street is that loads of people who were in the frame for Game Pass deals, i.e. you know, nothing was inked yet but the deals were in advanced discussions, everybody got the rug pulled out from under them.” Xbox appears to have effectively paused third-party Game Pass deals, which is a curious turn of events to say the least.
