The Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan will reach six more countries as part of the first expansion of the subscription tier.

Microsoft is bringing the Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan to six more countries. This development marks the first expansion of the service since the launch of the new subscription tier in September 2022.

As the name suggests, the Friends and Family bundle is for those who want an affordable way to share their ever-expanding Xbox Game Pass library with loved ones.

It allows up to five people to enjoy all the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at a significant discount compared to purchasing individual subscriptions. The only restriction is geographical availability. This was initially limited to Colombia and Ireland.

Five months later, the Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family package now includes Chile, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden. Based on the prices listed in the newly supported European markets, the €21.99 (~$24) bundle is already slightly cheaper than paying €12.99 (~$14) each for two Game Pass Ultimate accounts. On the other hand, a group that takes full advantage of Microsoft’s offer can enjoy the full benefits of five Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions for one-third of the combined cost of the individual licenses. This pricing is identical to that previously associated with the Friends and Family bundle in Ireland.

Microsoft did not specify when the Friends and Family plan might be rolled out to more territories. However, the first expansion clearly indicates that the initial soft launch has been a success. Given that the number of countries supported quadrupled overnight. Microsoft may also be keen to speed up the rollout to address some of the growth issues that have held back its gaming platform in recent years.

Xbox Game Pass has now missed its annual subscriber target twice in a row, so offering it at a steep discount to groups seems like a great way to ease market penetration.

The Game Pass Friends and Family bundle could still bring change to the Xbox ecosystem in the long run. The question now is how Microsoft will reconcile the level’s compelling value proposition with the ever-present investor pressure to optimise profits. At the same time, the company is reportedly flush with cash. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer even recently revealed that Game Pass is profitable in its own right.

Source: Xbox Wire