Xbox announced that Xbox Game Pass will be adding a preloading function for games in a "Coming Soon" section that will allow players to pre-install titles that are announced for the subscription service and releasing for it in the near future. Xbox Game Pass is the widely-praised subscription service from Microsoft that allows Xbox users to pay a nominal monthly fee to gain access to a huge library of games ranging from classics to new releases, and most services in a similar vein are inevitably compared to the Xbox variant, showing how well-regarded it is by consumers and analysts.
The release of Xbox Series X/S hasn't exactly been smooth - console scarcity and a lack of true launch exclusives has dampened excitement somewhat - but the fact the new consoles will be tied to an already-established Xbox Game Pass system has been a huge boon for Microsoft. Knowledge of good customer service and value is crucial in establishing early adopters of a console, and Xbox Series X/S offers what is arguably the best marriage of those two qualities in Xbox Game Pass. That, coupled with promising Xbox Series X/S reviews, has fans eager to see what the future looks like for both the Microsoft current-gen console and its online services.
Xbox Wire provided a bit more information on the future of Xbox Game Pass earlier, announcing that an Xbox Game Pass pre-install function is coming to the service, alongside a "Coming soon" section that will display titles earmarked to be added to it in the near future. Xbox Game Pass preloading will allow players to select a game from the "Coming soon" section and pre-install it, and mobile app users will have the ability to queue install for any of the games that aren't available for preloading. The new function won't let Xbox Game Pass subscribers actually play the games any earlier, but it will ensure they're not waiting for downloads to finish once they've released.
While it's not an earth-shaking addition to Xbox Game Pass functionality, it's another demonstration of how consumer-friendly the subscription service is to its users. A slew of quality of life upgrades and consistent quality game additions has established Xbox Game Pass as a trend-setter when it comes to what it offers, and the addition of Xbox Game Pass preloading will only strengthen that perception.
A lot of the future of current-gen console gaming is uncertain, as players barely have an idea of what they'll be able to play in the coming months and years, let alone how the best of those titles will perform or challenge the industry's leaders. It's comforting, then, that Xbox Game Pass remains what it has been for a very long time: a strong subscription service for Xbox users across the globe, and something that's not afraid to keep tinkering with what's working to improve it further.
Source: Xbox Wire