A subscription to Xbox Game Pass grants access to a vast library of games. However, the service offers subscribers access to perks in various games, as well. It seems Microsoft is increasing its partnerships with several developers and publishers, and subscribers can start to expect more benefits in free-to-play games as a result. These new benefits will begin this week, starting with games such as Heroes of the Storm, Naraka: Bladepoint, Smite 2, and The Finals. That number will expand in the month of April, with another 4 games already confirmed.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The benefits for these games are pretty substantial. In many cases, players will be able to unlock characters just for having an Xbox Game Pass subscription. For example, Naraka: Bladepoint players will gain access to all playable characters, while Smite 2 players will similarly get access to 5 of the game’s gods: Ares, Anhur, Hecate, Hercules and Nemesis. A large part of the appeal of Xbox Game Pass is that it encourages players to try something that they might not have otherwise. By adding significant perks, it seems the service will also be doing that for free-to-play games, as well. Of course, it also rewards people that were already playing these titles!
So far, Xbox has confirmed that perks will be available in April for Call of Duty: Warzone, Asphalt Legends Unite, Enlisted, and War Thunder. Unfortunately, nothing has been revealed about what kinds of perks will be added for these games, but hopefully subscribers can expect to see something just as substantial. In the case of Call of Duty: Warzone, players probably shouldn’t expect any exclusive content, like the Xbox headgear Naraka: Bladepoint is getting; Xbox has talked about moving away from exclusive content deals for Call of Duty following the company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Unlocking these perks seems to be pretty simple overall. It appears players will have to link their Xbox Game Pass account to the one that they use for these games, or use their Xbox profile to log in. Obviously, not all of these games will be available on all platforms; for example, Heroes of the Storm is only available on PC. Still, Xbox Game Pass subscribers should have no problem finding a game on their specific platform of choice, even going back to Xbox One.
RELATED: Xbox Will Have “a Lot More” Multiplatform Games in 2025
Unfortunately, there is something of a catch to this program, as these bonuses are only available to those who subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. Basically, if you’re a subscriber to the standard tier or Xbox Game Pass Core, you won’t be able to take advantage. That’s not entirely unexpected, and it should add a little more value to the higher priced Game Pass tier.
How do you feel about these new perks coming to Xbox Game Pass? Do you plan on taking advantage of these options? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
