Xbox Game Pass for PC

[Sly Boots]

Ok, so this is weird. Mass Effect LE went onto Gamepass on 4th Jan, I downloaded it and finally got around to creating a character and creating a save file on 5th Feb. I go to continue today, and there's no sign of the game either on Gamepass or on my EA Play account. I've checked and the files are still on my computer, but when I try to launch the game from there I get a popup saying I'm not allowed to access the game.

Anyone had this? What gives?

I've searched for any news that it's been removed from GP, but nothing.

[Sly Boots]

Ok, was finally able to locate it. In the end I had to search the Gamepass store for Mass Effect LE, realise it wasn't displayed but there was a small notice that to see EA games in the store I had to click on a separate link. I did that, searched again for the game, found it, had to launch EA Play from there, which opened up a new window registered to a completely separate account... from which I can launch it. -_-

This is approaching Hitchiker's Guide 'beware of the leopard' territory.

[DjchunKfunK]

I think there are some issues around EA Origin and EA Play that can mess things up.

[Sly Boots]

Are there currently any deals or workarounds to get additional months for Game Pass? The last subs I bought run out in a week and I'll be going up to the full price...

[Medicine Man]

As far as I know buying 12 months of Xbox Live Gold still converts 1:1 to Game Pass Ultimate. I havent looked into it this year though, but its what I did last year.

You do need to let any existing subs expire before redeeming though iirc. I'm sure there's cheaper methods mainly revolving around VPNs and all that, but I found the straight UK Gold to Game Pass the easiest and least hassle.

[Sly Boots]

As far as I know buying 12 months of Xbox Live Gold still converts 1:1 to Game Pass Ultimate. I havent looked into it this year though, but its what I did last year.

You do need to let any existing subs expire before redeeming though iirc. I'm sure there's cheaper methods mainly revolving around VPNs and all that, but I found the straight UK Gold to Game Pass the easiest and least hassle.

Yes, cheers, been reading around this evening and this appears to be a current method (or at least up until a few weeks ago, so I'll assume it's still current). CDkeys currently selling a year of Live Gold for £39, as opposed to £80-odd for Ultimate, so will give that a whirl once my membership expires next week

[Mantis]

Would appreciate if you verify if that still works. I just noticed that my renewal has kicked back in now and I'm paying £11 a month so the difference is pretty significant.

[Sly Boots]

Would appreciate if you verify if that still works. I just noticed that my renewal has kicked back in now and I'm paying £11 a month so the difference is pretty significant.

Sure, will do. Mine is running out on the 26th, and I just turned off recurring billing, so will let you know how I get on.

[Sly Boots]

Would appreciate if you verify if that still works. I just noticed that my renewal has kicked back in now and I'm paying £11 a month so the difference is pretty significant.

This definitely still works (as of today anyway!)

I bought two 12-month Live Gold cards from CDKeys at £36 a pop, then added them to my MS account, taking me up to 27th March 2024 on Gold, and in the account management screen there's a prompt to convert/upgrade to Ultimate, which I did, having to pay for a month at £11, but then all paid up on Ultimate until 27/4/2024.

So that's covered the next couple of years at a hair over £3 a month!

[Raid]

I really must remember that when my current month is up.

[Mantis]

Nice one.

Does it only work if you add the Gold to your account when you don't already have an active Ultimate subscription then? I've only just paid up for the month recently so I'll have to let that expire and take auto-renewal off if so.

[Sly Boots]

Nice one.

Does it only work if you add the Gold to your account when you don't already have an active Ultimate subscription then? I've only just paid up for the month recently so I'll have to let that expire and take auto-renewal off if so.

Yeah, as per MM's post, and I've read the same thing on other sites too. My sub ran out yesterday, today everything worked as described.

[Medicine Man]

Sweet. Nice on Sly, ever the canary. Ours is up next month so will be following your lead.

[Sly Boots]

I sometimes feel like the true value of Game Pass is the money it saves you.

For example, I've been really looking forward to Weird West, looked right up my alley. Luckily saw it on GP day one so didn't pre-order or anything, but still was counting down the days until release, and the hours until I could install it.

Booted it up, played a couple of hours... and realised it's not for me. £31 saved, or a shade under the price of a year of GP.

It's not the first time, either.

Another result was finally booting up Hard West that I'd bought for buttons in a sale ages ago and never played to scratch that same itch, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.

[Raid]

For me it's about trying stuff that I'm vaguely interested in but not quite enough to put the money down for. Often stuff with an art style I really like, but where I'm not sure I'll enjoy the gameplay enough (Oxenfree or Night in the Woods being good examples). I doubt I'd have stuck £20 down on Tunic because I'd have thought it was nostalgia-bait, and it would have languished on my Steam wishlist awaiting a sale (where enthusiasm goes to die in my case), when In actual fact I've enjoyed it more than Elden Ring which I dropped £50 on.

I just need to make better use of the service and try more stuff. I usually find a game I want to play and focus on it to the detriment of anything else. I've been buying individual months recently because I find my enthusiasm for gaming comes and goes, but if this XBL deal is still on when my current one expires, it'd be daft not to go for a couple of years as it's a third of the price.