Xbox Game Pass' Best Deal Seemingly Ends Right Before Starfield's Release

Did Xbox kill the $1 Game Pass trial right before Starfield's release?

By Marc Deschamps

When Starfield releases next month, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to check it out on day one as part of their subscription. A monthly subscription to the service is significantly cheaper than buying the game digitally, but those hoping to take advantage of the $1 trial are out of luck. It appears that Microsoft has quietly ended that deal, and those interested in trying Xbox Game Pass will have to subscribe at the base price. The move comes just a few weeks after Microsoft changed the $1 deal, dropping it from 30 days to just 14.

On Twitter, @Wario64 shared images of where the trial was originally offered, and what the Xbox Game Pass website currently states. Readers can find the comparison in the Tweet embedded below.

Why did Xbox Game Pass get rid of the $1 trial?

As of this writing, Microsoft has not offered any official news of the trial's cancellation, or given a potential reason for the move. However, it's safe to assume Starfield is the primary reason for the decision! The game is Xbox's biggest exclusive of 2023, and there's a lot of interest surrounding it ahead of launch. While the $1 trial was only available to new subscribers, some Xbox users have claimed that they've been able to get around the restriction by setting up new accounts with new email addresses. It's tough to say whether that actually worked, or if jumping through the extra hoops is worth it. Regardless, it wouldn't be surprising if Microsoft was trying to avoid that sort of thing with Starfield. By eliminating that possibility altogether, Xbox and PC users will have no choice but to outright purchase Starfield, or subscribe to Xbox Game Pass for at least one month.

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When does Starfield come out?

Starfield will release September 6th on Xbox Series X|S and PC. That's the day most people will be able to play, but those that purchase the Premium Edition will gain access a few days earlier, on September 1st. As recently revealed, the game will be available at the same time for all players around the world. For players in some time zones, that means the game will actually be available sooner than expected. For those that paid for early access, Starfield will be releasing at 5 p.m. PT on August 31st. Basically, players won't have to wait until midnight for the game to be playable, and the same will be true for Starfield's global release, which will take place at the same time on September 5th. Pre-loads for the game have already begun, so those hoping to jump right into Starfield when it launches might want to do that ahead of time!

Were you planning to grab a $1 Game Pass subscription before Starfield came out? Are you disappointed that this promotion has seemingly ended? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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