The recent addition of Grand Theft Auto 5 to Xbox Game Pass was perfectly timed, as the blockbuster game was added just before Microsoft made the subscription service slightly more expensive. Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the highest-rated and best-selling video games of all time, and so it's clearly a huge "get" for Xbox Game Pass.
This isn't the first time that a Rockstar Games title has been added to Xbox Game Pass. Based on previous Rockstar titles that have been a part of the Game Pass service, it's likely that Grand Theft Auto 5 won't exactly adhere to the "one year" rule that applies to most new Game Pass additions. Considering this, any Xbox Game Pass subscribers that want to play Grand Theft Auto 5 should make sure to do so soon to ensure that they have plenty of time to play the game as much as they'd like.
It's probably no coincidence that Grand Theft Auto 5 was added to Xbox Game Pass just before the price hike. For the uninitiated, Microsoft has increased the price of Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The price of Xbox Game Pass has gone from $9.99 to $10.99, while the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has been raised from $14.99 to $16.99. PC Game Pass was not impacted by the price increase, but it's also worth pointing out that the PC version of Grand Theft Auto 5 isn't currently available to play through Game Pass.
$1 Game Pass Deal
Microsoft securing GTA 5 for Game Pass right before the price increase is a smart move, as even though the game is nearly a decade old at this point, it remains one of the most popular video games in the world. It's the kind of game that more casual gamers might see advertised for Game Pass that will get them to consider signing up. Therefore, it pairs quite well with the returning $1 Game Pass deal.
For years, Microsoft offered a great deal to new Xbox Game Pass subscribers that allowed them to sign up for the service for $1 and also convert any of their Xbox Live Gold time to Game Pass Ultimate. What was once a 1:1 conversion ratio is now 3:2, so subscribers won't get as much Game Pass Ultimate in exchange for their Xbox Live Gold, but it's still a bargain. One downside to the returning $1 Game Pass deal, though, is that this time around it only applies to PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with vanilla Game Pass left out.
Just as it was likely no accident that Grand Theft Auto 5 just so happened to be added to Xbox Game Pass right before the price hike, it seems very strategic that the $1 deal was brought back as well. Xbox Game Pass still offers a ridiculous value to consumers, even after the price increase, so it's unlikely that the move will lose any subscribers. And with massive day one game Starfield right around the corner, chances seem good that Xbox Game Pass is about to draw in even more new subscribers than ever before.