Xbox Game Pass Locks Its Biggest New Game Behind Extra Paywall

Xbox Game Pass has two new games, and one of these new games is one of the biggest additions to the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC subscription service all year. That said, it’s behind an extra paywall or, more specifically, behind the paywall of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If you’re a standard Xbox Game Pass subscriber, which is to say you pay $10 a month rather than $15 a month, you’re out of luck. You can’t play the major new addition, Need for Speed Unbound.

Developed by Criterion Games and published by EA, Need for Speed Unbound was added to EA Play today, which in turn means it’s available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, as the premium tier of the Xbox subscription service bundles in EA Play alongside Xbox Live Gold as well. As for the game itself, it released on December 2, 2022, and is one of the biggest releases of the last six months, at least when sorted by popularity. It’s addition to EA Play, and thus Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as well, comes alongside the release of a major new update, Volume 3. 

“The world is your canvas in Need for Speed Unbound. Prove you have what it takes to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. Across four intense weeks of racing, earn enough cash to enter weekly qualifiers, beat the competition, and make your mark on the street racing scene while outdriving and outsmarting the cops. Pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides and light up the streets with your unique style, exclusive fits, and a vibrant global soundtrack led by A$AP Rocky and AWGE that bumps in every corner of the world. Express yourself to the fullest with the freshest new art styles and signature tags that represent what you’re all about. With separate single and multiplayer campaigns, this latest edition in the Need for Speed™ franchise from Criterion Games delivers hours of electric, adrenaline-pumping action.”

It’s possible Need for Speed Unbound could come to the standard version of Xbox Game Pass in the future, but there’s no word of this happening. That said, the Xbox version of the game is currently on sale for $20.99, a major dip from its standard $69.99 asking price. Meanwhile, if you buy the game as an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you get a bonus 20 percent off this price.