The Xbox One is a great gaming system with a wide selection of titles to choose from, but it can run you well over $200 for the S model alone. If you’ve been dying to get your hands on the console and its games, but can’t afford to pay upfront, Microsoft has a program to help you out.
Xbox All Access is a two-year subscription plan that includes an Xbox One S console, as well as memberships to Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass, for $22 per month. With the program, users will gain access to the enormous vault of games included in Xbox Game Pass. And since Microsoft is releasing all its published games on the service at the same time that they launch, users might not even have to buy a single game.
Now, we know that $22 per month is quite a bit of money. However, if you add it up over two years, it will still be a decent value for customers. In total, a subscription will cost nearly $530. Xbox Game Pass on its own during that period would cost $240, while Xbox Live Gold would cost $120. Adding in the cost of the console, you could actually spend more money if you go the traditional route.
If you’d prefer the Xbox One X, that system is also available for a $35 monthly fee. On its own, the console costs $500, and it’s the only way to play Xbox One games at 4K resolution. If you’re more interested in high-dynamic range (HDR), you can go with the less-expensive S, but not the original Xbox One system.
Xbox All Access will only be available in Microsoft Stores, and you must sign up for a Dell Preferred Account in order to get a bundle — this requires you to go through an approval process before you’re able to get the console and the services.
Those who already own a capable PC have little reason to choose the Xbox One in 2018. Nearly every “exclusive” for the console is also available on the PC, and those who purchase a digital game on one platform often get the other one for free as part of the Xbox Play Anywhere service. These games are almost always crossplay and cross-save compatible as well, meaning you’ll be able to play with your friends on one system before moving to the other, all while retaining your game progress.
Updated on 8-27-2018: Added official information from Microsoft.
