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| Rumors suggest that Xbox Game Pass could eventually adopt an à-la-carte subscription model. |
A new report claims Microsoft is weighing a "pick your own plan" model for Game Pass that would let subscribers choose console games, cloud gaming, and multiplayer as separate add-ons — but the math may not favor everyone.
Xbox Game Pass may be heading toward its biggest structural shake-up yet. According to a Fortune report citing sources reportedly familiar with Microsoft's strategy, Xbox boss Asha Sharma is planning what would essentially amount to an à-la-carte system for Game Pass — one that lets subscribers assemble their own subscription from the pieces they actually use.
As first spotted by Notebookcheck, the report specifically names access to console games, cloud gaming, and multiplayer as potential add-ons. In other words, instead of paying for a single bundle that includes everything, players could theoretically pick and choose — and pay only for what they need.
Why an À La Carte Game Pass Could Appeal to Players
The pitch is easy to understand. Under the current bundled structure, subscribers effectively pay for features they may never touch. A player who prefers installing games locally, for example, has little use for cloud gaming — yet it's baked into the price. An à-la-carte model would let that player skip the cloud entirely and keep the bill down.
For Microsoft, the appeal is equally clear: granular pricing opens the door to lower entry-level tiers that could attract price-sensitive gamers who have so far stayed away from Game Pass. It's a model that has worked well in other subscription markets, where tiered and modular plans have become the norm.
The Catch: A Fully Loaded Plan Could Cost More
There's a real risk for consumers, though. If features that are currently bundled together become separate paid add-ons, the total cost of a fully featured Game Pass subscription could end up being higher than it is today. That's the classic à-la-carte trade-off: flexibility is great, but only if it produces genuine savings for the way you actually play.
If a player wants console games, cloud streaming, and multiplayer, they may find themselves assembling a package that costs more than the current all-in-one option. The model would likely only win players over if the flexibility translated into meaningful savings — not just the illusion of choice.
This Isn't the First Time We've Heard This
The rumor doesn't come out of nowhere. Back in April, Windows Central reported that Microsoft was considering a "pick your own plan" model. At the time, it was described as a longer-term goal that would let subscribers select their own content and features. Both then and now, however, the plans remain unconfirmed — Microsoft has yet to officially announce anything of the sort.
The concept has also been circulating among the leak-hunting crowd, including on the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, where discussion of a major Game Pass overhaul has been picking up steam.
The Community Is Split
On Reddit, the reaction has been mixed. Some users like the idea of paying only for the features they actually need — a sentiment that tracks with growing frustration over subscription bloat across the industry. Others are more skeptical, fearing Microsoft could simply strip features out of existing subscriptions and start selling them back as paid extras.
That concern isn't unfounded. Subscription services across entertainment have repeatedly restructured their tiers in ways that leave longtime customers paying more for the same — or less. Whether Game Pass follows that pattern or genuinely delivers a better deal will depend entirely on how the pricing shakes out.
The Bottom Line
For now, this is still a rumor. Microsoft hasn't confirmed an à-la-carte Game Pass, and no timeline has been announced. But the fact that the idea keeps resurfacing — first from Windows Central in April, now from Fortune in October — suggests it's more than idle speculation inside Xbox HQ.
If it does happen, the question for players will be simple: does building your own Game Pass actually save you money, or does it just make the bill harder to read? For a subscription service already under scrutiny over value, getting that answer right could define Xbox's next generation.