Microsoft axes $1 Xbox Game Pass trial

Microsoft has removed the option to sign up for a 14-day trial of Game Pass for $1. This comes just ahead of Starfield’s release on September 6.

This was first reported by XGP, and you can compare what the Game Pass sign-up page looked like before and after the change thanks to a tweet by @Wario64. There used to be text in each subscription tier advertising 14 days for $1, and then full price afterwards. This text is now gone from the live page.

Microsoft has apparently eliminated the $1 Xbox Game Pass trial once again, just before the release of Starfield https://t.co/8tUcvdYHX3https://t.co/nnok972zbU

Pictured: today vs earlier this month pic.twitter.com/GpDDl3jz4l

— Wario64 (@Wario64) August 27, 2023

In the past, people were able to try Game Pass for a full month for the low cost of $1. This allowed people to sign up, play whatever was in the library for a month, and then cancel their service before paying the full subscription fee. Perhaps to curb this practice, Microsoft removed the $1 month-long trial in March before reinstating it in July this year. However, after about a month, the month-long trial period was reduced to just 14 days. Three weeks later, Microsoft has decided to remove the trial option altogether.

It looks like you can still get a free 14-day trial through the friend referral system. The program allows current subscribers to gift five people each year with a free 14-day trial of PC Game Pass. So if you know someone who already has Game Pass, perhaps you can ask them for a code.

Is it because of Starfield?

Maybe. Without a statement from Microsoft, we can only speculate as to why they are making this change. The timing certainly lines up with the highly-anticipated release of Starfield, so this seems to be the prevailing theory for now.

If you already have a Game Pass subscription, then this won’t affect you. The change only affects would-be new subscribers who planned to take advantage of the $1 offer to play Starfield on release day.

The full price for a month of PC Game Pass is $10, or $17 for the Ultimate tier. Subscribers can play Starfield when it launches on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S. Those with the Premium Edition of the game can access the game five days early.