Xbox Game Pass Quietly Rolls Out New Feature For Select Subscribers

A few select members of Xbox Game Pass just got a significant new feature rolled out for them, but you may not have heard of it since it was silently dropped by Microsoft. The company’s gaming subscription service has undergone some massive changes since its restructure last year, which divided it into tiers. Now, day-one releases on Xbox Game Pass, for instance, are locked behind an Ultimate membership.

According to Microsoft, via a post made on Xbox Wire, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members are getting yet another benefit designed exclusively for that subscription tier. As of February 25, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can stream their games via cloud gaming on their Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One X/S consoles with up to 1440p resolution. This was not previously possible with the gaming service, as it was capped at a lower resolution for improved performance.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Just Got A New Perk

Cloud Gaming Can Now Reach 1440p Resolution

This new feature for the service is improving not only graphics to 1440p resolution, but also bringing forth higher bitrate streaming for Ultimate members. According to the post on Xbox Wire, this results in “sharper visuals” and “more responsive gameplay” for supported games and regions. This improvement is a result of Xbox Cloud Gaming leaving its beta test period and finally entering its full form.

In addition to the enhancements provided to cloud gaming for Ultimate members, Microsoft announced other changes. For example, the Xbox PC app received new navigation sound cues, which respond to the key actions. This is an optional feature that was rolled out for every user, regardless of whether they are Game Pass members or not. There are also a few updates for the new ROG Xbox Ally, which you can check out on Xbox Wire.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Is Still Pretty Pricey

There Are Rumors Of Another Price Spike In The Future

Even though Ultimate members do get exclusive benefits, such as improved cloud gaming and day-one releases, the increased Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price is not satisfying players – something that became evident once the service went through its restructuring and worsened in the months after. Currently, the monthly fee for the Ultimate tier rests at $29.99.

This is considered quite expensive for some players, but it could be worse. There are rumors about another possible Xbox Game Pass price hike coming in the next few months, something that will likely not be well-received by members. If the rumor proves to be true, it’s unclear just how much more members will pay per month.

While the alleged price hike doesn’t arrive, Ultimate members can enjoy the new game streaming benefit that has been rolled out by Microsoft. It is pricey to maintain an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, but it does come with perks that may be worth it for some players.