Free Xbox Game Pass leaks, but there's a big catch

There are some supposedly big changes coming to Xbox Game Pass according to leaks and industry insiders.

Rumour has it that there will soon be a free version of Xbox Game Pass as the cheapest tier of the subscription model but, as with many ‘free’ options, it will be powered by adverts.

Will Call of Duty be the next blockbuster game to come to Xbox Game Pass?

The news comes via a Reddit post which discusses the rumour that Microsoft are planning a range of new options for Xbox Game Pass including price hikes. This could mean that sooner rather than later we’ll see a price increase for the Core and Ultimate versions of the subscription service.

A price increase is bound to happen with how aggressive Microsoft is being in monetising and capturing revenue. Microsoft hasn’t increased the price of the service for seven years, so it’s a long time coming.

If the thoughts that games like Call of Duty could find their way to Game Pass on day one, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this comes with a price hike.

But, for those without the extra cash, we could be getting a base tier which will come with ads, following in the footsteps of Netflix, Amazon Prime and pretty much every other service out there.

One user on Reddit states what many are thinking with, “The console is already full of ads! They don't have room for any more!” They’re not wrong, the Xbox home page already features plenty of ads for Microsoft, publishers and third-party products.

Some may argue that the service is worth an increase given it features hundreds of games that can be downloaded and played at any time, but with Microsoft’s recent announcements it would be a bitter pill to swallow.

Stay tuned for more information as it comes out, which will likely be on the run up to the summer.