Xbox Game Pass May Be Getting Cheaper Tiers Under New CEO Asha Sharma

Microsoft is reportedly exploring lower-priced tiers for Xbox Game Pass, along with a potential subscription bundle with Netflix.

The news comes after Asha Sharma took over as Microsoft Gaming CEO from Phil Spencer back in February. Since stepping in, Sharma has been vocal about wanting to shake things up. Her reported goal is to make "future consoles and products like Game Pass more enticing to a broader range of customers."

According to a report by The Information, one of the ways Sharma is looking to achieve this is by revamping the Game Pass pricing model to "offer lower-priced tiers." No concrete details have been shared yet about how exactly these tiers would be structured, but the direction seems clear enough.

One option being floated is an ad-supported tier. The idea would allow players to access Game Pass titles at a reduced cost, or potentially even for free, in exchange for watching ads. It is not a new concept in the entertainment world. Netflix, for example, offers an ad-supported plan at $8 per month, which is a significant step down from its $18 standard plan. Microsoft could be eyeing something similar to pull in users who are not willing to commit to the current pricing.

And the current pricing is no joke. Microsoft raised Game Pass Ultimate by a whopping 50% back in October last year, bringing it to $30 per month. Other tiers currently sit at $15 per month for Game Pass Premium, $10 for Game Pass Essential, and $16.50 for PC Game Pass. So yeah, a cheaper option would be welcomed by a lot of players.

On top of the pricing changes, the same report also touched on a potential partnership between Microsoft and Netflix. Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters confirmed that he and Sharma have "kicked around ideas" about how the two companies could collaborate on subscription bundles. Nothing has been locked in, but Peters did not shut the door on it either.

"You would have to do it in a way that works for the consumer and works for both companies, and frankly, I think Microsoft's still trying to figure out how to make the Game Pass bundle work for Microsoft," he said. "What I like about Asha's thinking is, it's all about, 'How do we do more?' And it's already been exciting to watch."

Sharma has already made some noticeable moves since taking the reins. One of her first decisions was reportedly to pull the plug on Microsoft's "This Is An Xbox" marketing campaign. The campaign was quietly removed from Microsoft's official websites shortly after she came on board.