The #1 thing to do with your new Xbox One this holiday

The holiday season means gifting galore, with Microsoft’s Xbox One among the top video game consoles at the tail end of 2019. The Xbox One X tops the family with leading graphical capabilities, while the Xbox One S and accompanying All-Digital offer the most accessible entry points to date. From best-selling games to blockbuster movies, there’s a ton of living room entertainment packed into the console.

But once you’ve unboxed and set up your Xbox One, there’s one crucial deal you won’t want to miss. For many Xbox One newcomers, the Xbox Game Pass subscription is a catch, serving up hundreds of games under a low monthly fee. That’s a stupidly impressive value proposition, especially when your Xbox library is in its infancy. An ongoing Xbox Game Pass deal now complements this with savings and further bundled subscriptions, easily among the best Xbox deals you’ll find.

Microsoft has been scaling Xbox Game Pass for nearly three years now, pitching a Netflix-style subscription service, pledging over 100 games for a flat monthly cost. That nets you over 200 titles as of December 2019, covering a diverse lineup of Xbox One and backward compatible hits. Microsoft’s in-house experiences also launch into Xbox Game Pass upon release, including Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, The Outer Worlds, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection. They’re like the Netflix Originals of the service, providing value even for long-time Xbox enthusiasts.

We’ve assembled a list of Xbox Game Pass games so far, with regular additions expanding that offering each month. That’s a library that’s hard to match without substantial investment, with unlimited access to those titles, provided your subscription remains active. And if you want to own your favorite titles permanently, Xbox Game Pass grants up to 20 percent discount on games, with 10 percent off add-ons and expansions.

However, unlike traditional subscription services, Xbox Game Pass utilizes downloads over streaming. While Microsoft is exploring separate game-streaming solutions, the service installs all titles to your hard drive, avoiding potential issues with latency. Xbox Game Pass titles are also playable offline, provided your console is flagged as your “Home” device.

You’ve got two options when in the market for Xbox Game Pass as an Xbox One owner. Xbox Game Pass retails for $10, which provides full access to the service library on the console. However, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is an all-inclusive alternative at $15 monthly, bundling Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One with a PC subscription, and Xbox Live Gold. That provides Xbox Live benefits of online multiplayer and free games, alongside a collection of over 100 games for Windows 10.

Lastly, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also pairs with impressive holiday promotions this year, granting subscribers the three Microsoft subscriptions, alongside further bonuses. That includes six months of Spotify, three months of Discord Nitro, and one month of EA Access, covering your entertainment needs.

Best Xbox Game Pass deals for December 2019

While Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One is the most affordable plan at retail, ongoing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deals make this a prime holiday subscription. Microsoft has dropped introductory three-month trials down to just $1 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, bundling its three Xbox subscriptions, with three additional services up for grabs. You buy one month for $1, with a bonus of two further months, kickstarting your Xbox experience for 2020.

Amazon is also hosting impressive Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deals, currently discounting six-month plans by 50 percent. That provides the same benefits to new and existing subscribers, even fully stackable, preparing your subscription for the years ahead. If you’re already sold on Xbox Game Pass, this might be the deal for you.

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