Xbox Game Pass Ultimate family plan: is it worth it? Here's the math
I did the math on the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. You really need to use all four seats to save money.
โก๏ธ The Shortcut Skinny
๐ฉ What: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate family plan is getting a trial run
๐จโ๐จโ๐ฆโ๐ฆ All in the fam: You can share the benefits with three other people
๐ฐ Price: โฌ21.99/month, so very likely $24.99/month in the US
๐งฎ Math (below): Itโs only worth it if all four people use it in a family
๐ Where: In Columbia and Ireland for Xbox Insiders beta testers so far
Microsoft is finally testing a way to expand the benefits of your Xbox Game Pass membership to family and friends without breaking the bank. This is timely, because, as Iโve demonstrated time and time again, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 12-month discount code trick suggests itโs been overpriced by $20 for some time.
Itโs not available everywhere yet. Microsoft announced that itโs testing the Game Pass family plan in Colombia and Ireland and it requires the lead account to purchase the new โXbox Game Pass โ Insider Previewโ plan in the Microsoft Store. Your current membership will convert over at a fair value.
The price? โฌ21.99 per month reports The Vergeโs Tom Warren, who found that one month of the normal Game Pass Ultimate converts into 18 days of the family plan. Thankfully, the other three members donโt have to be Xbox Insiders, but you do all need to be in the same country.
The math for Xbox families
Iโve called Xbox Game Pass Ultimate one of the best deals in gaming, but thatโs when itโs bought individually โ and with the easy-to-apply discount code. Itโs still a good value without the discount, but $20 off is icing on the cake ๐ฐ (no lie).
Microsoft, unlike Sony with its PlayStation Plus service (and its trickle of PS Plus free games), allows you to play first-party games on all Game Pass tiers on day one of each gameโs launch. Itโll be a bit easier to run through that Xbox games 2022 list.
But the Game Pass price โ discount code or not โ adds up when a family of four gamers wants access to the service using their own Gamertag. My niece and three nephews, for example, game under one account for this reason andโฆ itโs an issue. This fixes that issue โ or it at least will once it launches in the United States.
But thereโs a threshold that has to be met for this Game Pass family plan to be worth it, at least when you look at that โฌ21.99 price.
How much does Xbox Game Pass family plan cost?
๐ฎ๐ช๐ โฌ12.99/mo for Game Pass Ultimate for individuals in Ireland
๐ฎ๐ช๐จโ๐จโ๐ฆโ๐ฆ โฌ21.99/mo for the new Game Pass Ultimate family plan in Ireland
๐บ๐ธ๐ $14.99/mo Game Pass Ultimate for individuals in the US
๐บ๐ธ๐จโ๐จโ๐ฆโ๐ฆ $24.99/mo likely for the Game Pass Ultimate in the US (my estimate)
Wild card for Game Pass deal-savvy people
๐๐ $8.33/mo for 1 Game Pass Ultimate with a discount code
๐๐งโ๐คโ๐ง $16.66/mo for 2 Game Pass Ultimates with a discount code
๐๐ช $24.99/mo for 3 Game Pass Ultimates with a discount code
Youโll break even at this point
๐๐จโ๐จโ๐ฆโ๐ฆ $33.32/mo for 4 Game Pass Ultimates with a discount code
At this point, buying individually ends up being more money
An individual Game Pass Ultimate membership is โฌ12.99/mo. Itโs fair to think that since the Game Pass Ultimate MSRP is $14.99/mo in the US, the family plan will cost $24.99/mo here, just $10 more. Thatโs a great dealโฆ for four seats.
But when you factor in the always readily available discount code trick that knocks off $20 per quarter (so the $14.99 per month goes to $8.33 per month), having two seats when bought individually would only cost $16.66/mo and you break even with three seats at $24.99/mo. Itโs not until you hit four seats that this new plan actually saves you money, even when applying the discount code.
Itโs reasonable to assume that the family plan pricing will even out to be โbuy three get one freeโ
This is my back-of-the-envelope calculation, but it makes sense. Microsoft isnโt going to suddenly give you Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for half price. But itโs reasonable to assume that the family plan pricing will even out to be โbuy three get one free.โ
Thatโs still a good deal for some families who would have had to shell out $60 every month for four seats to Game Pass Ultimate. And itโs an even better deal for Microsoft because most families probably do what mine does โ just consolidate and fight over who gets to unlock achievements on the Game Pass-enabled account.