In a recent move, Microsoft has decided to discontinue the special benefit of providing free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to approximately 238,000 employees. This decision has led to dissatisfaction among some of the employees. According to reports from The Verge, Microsoft has started notifying its employees this week that they will no longer be able to avail themselves of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate benefit starting in January 2024.
It is expected that employees working in the Xbox or Microsoft Gaming departments will continue to receive this benefit. However, employees who are not part of these departments will have the option to purchase the discounted 12-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate within the company’s store.
Some Microsoft employees have expressed their dissent by using the company’s internal messaging platform to voice their concerns about the discontinued benefit. In response, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, stated that they are currently investigating the situation. Microsoft, on the other hand, has not provided any public statement regarding this matter.
As of January 2022, Xbox Game Pass has gained an additional 25 million subscribers. However, Phil Spencer mentioned that the growth of Xbox Game Pass on console has slowed down, prompting Microsoft to focus more on PC Game Pass this year. It’s worth noting that Microsoft has not updated the number of Game Pass subscribers for almost two years.
TLDR: Microsoft will no longer offer free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to its employees starting in January 2024, which has sparked discontent among some employees. While employees in the Xbox or Microsoft Gaming departments will still have access to the benefit, others can purchase a discounted 12-month subscription. The decision has prompted employees to voice their concerns, with Microsoft currently investigating the situation.
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