Xbox Game Pass is often compared to "the Netflix of gaming," but for years it has been missing one feature that comes standard with Netflix - family sharing. Users can't pay extra to add other family members to the same account like Netflix, and each user who wants to use Game Pass must subscribe separately.
To solve this pain point, Microsoft has been planning to launch an Xbox Game Pass family plan, allowing the main account to add up to four members to share subscriptions. The feature was even tested on a small scale in places like Ireland and Colombia, but nearly four years later, the much-anticipated service has never been fully launched.
Many people will naturally blame Microsoft or Xbox's indecision. But according to technology media Windows Central reporter Jez Corden, the real resistance comes from the third-party publisher-EA.
Corden cited people familiar with the matter as saying that the Xbox Game Pass family plan has actually been canceled, and the direct reason is that EA is "totally opposed" to the idea. It is reported that EA is "very disgusted" with the family plan. Since EA was an important early supporter of Game Pass and continues to provide content support for the service, Microsoft was eventually forced to shelve the project.
At present, the prospects of the Xbox Game Pass family plan are quite slim. However, Microsoft recently adjusted the price of Game Pass and removed some "Call of Duty" content, indicating that Xbox is still trying to lower the subscription threshold for users in different ways.