Microsoft has once again removed the cheap Xbox Game Pass trial ahead of the launch of Starfield, so if you were hoping to use that opportunity to play the game at a discount, you’re out of luck. Starfield is potentially the biggest Xbox game launch of the year so Microsoft is seemingly making sure that everyone subscribes to the service at full price instead of the often-abused R15 (or $1) trial.
Before the removal, the deal would allow newcomers to check out Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for two weeks at only R15. Thereafter, a monthly fee of R129 for Ultimate or R79 for PC Game Pass would kick in. Ahead of the launch of Starfield, Microsoft has now disabled the option to get a R15 trial so newcomers will have to resort to paying the full monthly fee if they want to play Bethesda’s big sci-fi RPG.
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For some unknown reason, Microsoft previously removed the trial back in March this year before suddenly bringing it back in July. Users suspected that this was done due to the launch of Redfall, so something similar might be happening now with Starfield as Microsoft plans to drive new players towards purchasing a full subscription instead of using a cheaper trial. It’s unclear if or when Microsoft plans to bring the R15 trial back, though we presume it will return after a few months.
In other news, developer Larian Studios recently announced that it planned on releasing Baldur’s Gate 3 this year on Xbox Series X/S but with a catch: split-screen co-op won’t be included on the Series S version. Xbox boss Phil Spencer addressed these concerns, stating that Microsoft had no intentions of dropping Series S and owners of the less powerful console would understand “that it’s not going to run the same way” as the Series X.
In Starfield news, Bethesda revealed why it chose to go with a silent protagonist this time instead of using a voiced protagonist like Fallout 4.
Starfield launches on 6 September 2023 for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will also arrive day one on Xbox Game Pass.
Source: Wario64