Key recommendations
- Microsoft has removed the $1 Xbox Game Pass trial option for the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
- Xbox Game Pass remains a great gaming deal, but it's facing some recent backlash.
- Fans unhappy as Microsoft ends $1 trial, limiting access to Black Ops 6.
Microsoft has removed access to a potentially useful option from Xbox Game Pass less than two weeks before launch Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The Xbox Game Pass subscription option could have given budget-conscious gamers a chance to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 much less than the retail price.
Despite some unpopular changes to Xbox Game Pass in recent months, including a Game Pass price hike that drew the disapproval of government regulators, the service remains one of the best deals in gaming. For a relatively small monthly fee, gamers can enjoy a huge library of premium titles across a variety of platforms, including Xbox consoles, PCs and on mobile via Xbox Cloud Gaming. Some of these titles include the biggest releases of the year including Call of duty franchise, thanks to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision and other major players in the game publishing space.
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Unfortunately, Microsoft seems to be making the deal even less appealing. According to a post by Call of duty news account CharlieIntel, Microsoft has quietly dropped the option to pay just one dollar to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass on consoles for 14 days. This means that for new and lapsed members, only the Core, Standard, and Ultimate Xbox Game Pass subscription tiers are available, without a free or discounted trial option.
The $1 Xbox Game Pass subscription offer was removed by Microsoft before Black Ops 6
The $1 Xbox Game Pass subscription option could have been an incredible deal for gamers looking for a short fling with the biggest new shooter of the year. One could theoretically purchase the 14-day pass and, before it expires, play through Black Ops 6 campaign and even enjoyed a multiplayer game. Now an Xbox gamer who wants to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at launch, will have to pay the full purchase price of $70 or subscribe to the full Ultimate tier for $20 per month.
The move was met with swift disapproval online, as fans who were already unhappy with Xbox Game Pass price hikes and changes to their rights saw it as another “cash grab” from Microsoft. Other fans were more pragmatic, saying the move makes sense for Microsoft, which likely wants to maximize revenue from Black Ops 6its launch period. A few others pointed out that the removal of the $1 subscription might not have affected things in any way, since only Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers have access to day one releases. A $1 subscription period would probably only have been for the Standard tier, which they wouldn't have had access to Black Ops 6 on release day.