Charles H. Sloan-Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is a new way to play—try one month for just $1

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There's more than one way to play video games nowadays. You don't even have to leave your couch to find something new to play thanks to streaming services like Xbox Game Pass. Don't worry about having to add another streaming bill to your budget, because Microsoft is offering the deluxe tier of its digital gaming library for a low-price trial run with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Meant as the expanded version of the streaming service, Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to hundreds of quality video games you can play on multiple platforms anytime you have a strong internet connection. Typically running you $16.99 a month, Microsoft is letting newcomers test the streamer for one month for just $1. Whether you own a coveted Xbox Series X or not, Game Pass Ultimate lets you play exciting shooters, racers, platformers and more on your PC and smartphone.

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How much is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?

Microsoft's top-tier gaming streamer is $16.99 a month, but this Microsoft deal lets you try out the service for just $1 during the first month. That's a whopping 94% discount off the typical monthly price of the membership. It's also an overall better value compared to the Game Pass PC fee of $9.99 a month or the console fee of $10.99. While both of those tiers limit your game access to an Xbox console or a PC respectively, Ultimate lets you access the Game Pass library of titles on both devices through cloud gaming.

What is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?

Xbox Game Pass is essentially Netflix but for games, with subscribers able to play hundreds of titles online and then download them if they want to keep them on their devices for less lagging. These titles range from current releases compatible with the Xbox Series X and Series S all the way back to classic hits released during the original Xbox's lifespan in the early 2000s. With an Ultimate subscription, you can play those titles on consoles, PCs and smartphones through cloud gaming. While cloud gaming gets you access to a variety of titles without dealing with long download times that clog up your device's storage, how well those titles run depends on the strength of your internet connection or smartphone data plan. 

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Subscribers also get free in-game content and partner offers for the titles they choose to download. Additionally, they get a bonus subscription with Ultimate via EA Play, which grants you access to even more games from Electronic Arts to play for free. Whether you're a frequent streamer competing online with friends on Fortnite or just want to try something new without having to scour your local game store, Game Pass Ultimate is the premiere VIP access to every kind of content you love to press buttons to.

What games are on Xbox Game Pass?

The harder question to answer is, "What isn't on Xbox Game Pass?" If you want the hot new title on the tip of everyone's tongue, there's the dino-themed shooter chaos of Exoprimal. There are also acclaimed hits of the past, like the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto V or the recently remastered GoldenEye 007. Sports fans can face off in a variety of titles, including NHL 23, Dirt 5, Skate 3 and more. For those longtime Xbox gamers who first joined when they heard about some shooting Spartan, there's Halo: The Master Chief Collection which contains six of the most famous entries in the Halo franchise, including the first four main games and its two beloved spinoffs, Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach.

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Much like other game streaming services, Game Pass also removes titles every month to add new ones. That means you only have a few weeks left to try out the superhero action of Marvel's The Avengers or the quirky college simulator Two Point Campus. On the flip side, that means you'll get a fresh collection of new and classic titles added to Game Pass every month.

New Xbox Game Pass games for July 2023

• Available Now:Amnesia: The Bunker (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now: Arcade Paradise (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:The Big Con (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now: The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now: Bramble: The Mountain King (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:The Cave (Xbox Series X|S, cloud and console)
• Available Now:Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Common'hood (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Dordogne (Xbox Series X|S, cloud and console)
• Available Now:Exoprimal (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch (Xbox Series X|S, cloud and PC)
• Available Now:Farworld Pioneers (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Figment 2: Creed Valley (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox Series X|S, cloud and console)
• Available Now:Hypnospace Outlaw (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Insurgency: Sandstorm (PC)
• Available Now:Maquette (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:McPixel 3 (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Nakara: Bladepoint - Deluxe Edition (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Need for Speed: Unbound (Xbox Series X|S and cloud)
• Available Now:Rune Factory 4 Special (Xbox Series X|S, cloud and console)
• Available Now:Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the Slayer (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:Stacking (Xbox Series X|S, cloud and console)
• Available Now:STORY OF SEASONS: Friends of Mineral Town - Digital Edition (Xbox Series X|S, cloud and console)
• Available Now:Sword and Fairy: Together Forever (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)
• Available Now:TOEM (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, console and PC)

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Is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate worth it?

Absolutely! As a recently-converted Xbox gamer, I was blown away by the user-friendly layout of Game Pass and how functional the games available were. Given how new games are a hefty investment nowadays and there's nothing like replaying our favorite childhood titles, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you immediate access to the latest titles and classic games without forking over $60 or more every time. You can even keep your favorite picks and get rid of the ones you fall out with without the fear of wasting money. Check out Game Pass for yourself to find out what gets you hooked to your controller.

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.