TL;DR: An Xbox Game Pass overhaul is reportedly in the works. Fortune reported on October 20, 2026 that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma plans to keep a tiered structure but let players pick paid add-ons à la carte, including cloud gaming, multiplayer and console-only games. The same report says Xbox is targeting a handheld for holiday 2027 and the Project Helix console for 2028, with an internal price projection of $1,200 to $1,800. Microsoft has not confirmed any of it, and no pricing or timeline was reported for the Game Pass changes.
Game Pass has been the centerpiece of Microsoft’s gaming strategy for years, so any change to how it is sold matters to millions of players. Here is what the Xbox Game Pass overhaul report actually says, what is still unknown, and what it could mean for your subscription.
What the report says
The details come from Fortune’s profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, written by Sebastian Herrera and based on people familiar with the strategy. According to a summary of the report by Gaming Route, Fortune wrote that “Xbox is planning a major overhaul of Game Pass that would have players choose features à la carte, including add-ons for console-only games, cloud gaming, and multiplayer, with the system operating on a tiered structure.”
GamesRadar+ explained the idea this way: instead of choosing between fixed bundles, a player could sit on a cheaper base plan and pay extra each month only for the features they care about.
Reported Game Pass changes at a glance
| Element | What has been reported | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Still tiered, with optional paid add-ons | Reported, unconfirmed |
| Cloud gaming | Could become a separate add-on | Reported, unconfirmed |
| Online multiplayer | Could become a separate add-on | Reported, unconfirmed |
| Console-only games | Could become a separate add-on | Reported, unconfirmed |
| Prices | Not reported | Unknown |
| Launch timing | Not reported | Unknown |
That last part matters. No numbers were attached to any add-on, and Gaming Route notes Microsoft had not confirmed the plan and the report included no company comment.
The bigger Xbox plan behind it
The Game Pass news is one part of a wider reshaping of Xbox under Sharma. The same Fortune reporting, as summarized by Gaming Route and GamesRadar+, covers hardware and staffing too:
- A handheld for holiday 2027: Sharma reportedly plans a next-generation Xbox handheld by the 2027 holiday season.
- Project Helix for holiday 2028: the next home console is reportedly targeted for the 2028 holidays. Fortune reported its price “has internally been projected to cost consumers between $1,200 and $1,800, unless Microsoft decides to subsidize the cost.”
- More layoffs: Fortune reported further rounds planned for October, November and January, with 1,868 people cut so far under a July plan to reduce Xbox headcount by 3,200. The report notes the plans can change.
On hardware timing, Gaming Route points out that Sharma told Game File in April that “we’re not ready to share a launch timeline right now,” adding that memory costs will affect pricing and availability.
Job cuts at Xbox are not new. Earlier this month we covered how Microsoft handed the next Halo game to Activision after cutting 268 more Xbox jobs.
Why Microsoft might want à la carte Game Pass
Several outlets offered their own readings of the plan. These are analysis, not reporting from Microsoft:
- Lower entry price: Kotaku’s Ethan Gach wrote that the change sounds like a way to keep costs in check and grow subscribers by stripping out features most people don’t use, in line with Microsoft’s reported testing of an ad-supported tier.
- Charging heavy users more: Kotaku also suggested players who lean on cloud gaming or multiplayer could end up paying extra for them.
- Day-one games under pressure: Kotaku speculated that more first-party games could eventually be pulled from the day-one offering, pointing to Premium Edition upgrades that already charge for early access.
- Stalled growth: Kotaku noted leaked internal charts once suggested Microsoft aimed for more than 100 million subscribers, while growth plateaued around 35 million.
GamesRadar+’s Jordan Gerblick took a more open view, writing that skipping features like multiplayer and cloud gaming to save money “could increase the value proposition enough for me to resubscribe,” while stressing it is too early to judge.
What it could mean for players
Who might win
- Single-player fans who never play online and could drop a multiplayer add-on.
- Console owners with good hardware who have no need for cloud streaming.
- Lapsed subscribers put off by recent price levels, if a cheaper base plan appears.
Who might lose
- Players who use everything today and could pay more once each feature is priced separately.
- Cloud-only players on phones, TVs or PCs without a console, if streaming becomes an extra charge.
- Anyone who values the simplicity of one price, since more add-ons means more choices to manage.
Until Microsoft publishes real prices, none of this can be calculated. A modular plan can be cheaper or more expensive than today’s tiers depending entirely on what each add-on costs.
What to watch next
- An official announcement: Kotaku guessed the overhaul could roll out before Fable arrives in February 2027, but that is the outlet’s own estimate.
- Add-on pricing: the single biggest factor in whether this is good news.
- Changes for current members: whether existing tiers are replaced, grandfathered or kept alongside the new model.
- Hardware news: any confirmation of the 2027 handheld or Project Helix pricing.
In the meantime, Xbox hardware news continues on a smaller scale, such as the $49.99 Xbox Nano Controller shipping November 4. And with GTA 6 launching November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the timing of any subscription shake-up will be watched closely.
The bottom line
The reported Xbox Game Pass overhaul would turn one of gaming’s best-known subscriptions into a pick-your-features menu. It could save money for players who use only part of the service, or cost more for those who use all of it. Until Microsoft confirms the plan and its prices, treat it as a credible report rather than a done deal.
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