Xbox All Access official: Console + Xbox Live + Game Pass for monthly fee
Microsoft unveils a subscription package for buying an Xbox One, starting at $22 a month.
Microsoft on Monday revealed Xbox All Access: A 24-month plan that bundles together the cost of an Xbox One console, Xbox Live service and the Game Pass video game subscription service. The plan was previously rumored last week.
Microsoft's plan lets players get an Xbox One S for $22 per month or the higher-end Xbox One X for $35 a month. At the end of the 24-month term players own the console and can choose whether to continue subscribing to either Xbox Live or the Game Pass service. Details of the plan were earlier reported by Thurrott.
One caveat we weren't expecting, though -- you'll need to travel to a physical brick-and-mortar Microsoft store in the US to get the deal. Microsoft has fewer than 100 stores in the US across 35 states, meaning some states don't have a store at all. Here's the full list of stores. The company has not yet announced availability of the plan in other countries.
The Xbox One S version of the plan seems particularly good, as it saves about $130 over the lifetime of the subscription versus outright buying the console and both services. The Xbox One X version only saves about $20. However, this service does lock you into both subscription services for the 24-month period, which is a caveat worth mentioning if you weren't planning on using either Game Pass or Xbox Live for the full two years.
Similar to the various installment plans now available for buying iPhones and high-end Android phones , the plan could help people looking to buy the console with a lower up-front cost. An Xbox One X with a game is currently $499.
