UK retailer GAME launches console hire purchase scheme

The UK retailer GAME has launched the first console hire purchase scheme in the country, Xbox All Access. The scheme combines both Xbox consoles and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions to make for a much more enticing product.

Xbox All Access works very similarly to a phone contract. Consumers spread out the cost of the purchase of their chosen Xbox console over 24 months. The console is provided upfront, and comes with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for the entire length of the 24-month contract. The cost of the contracts is almost exactly the same price as the consoles and Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions would be separate, making for an incredibly competitive offering.

There are currently three tiers of Xbox All Access available. The most expensive is for an Xbox One X console, which includes the option to upgrade to Project Scarlett when it launches next year. The middle tier scheme is for an Xbox One S, and the lower tier is for the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition. These subscriptions cost £25, £20, and £18 per month respectively.

Martyn Gibbs, CEO of GAME Digital, said that this scheme is the most affordable way to purchase a brand new console and play the very latest games on it. It’s also a great way to purchase a new console as a Christmas gift without spending too much money.

The Xbox One hasn’t performed as well in this current console generation as the Xbox 360 did in the previous generation. Microsoft is keen to get as many people on board with Project Scarlett as possible, and this new scheme provides a great way for consumers to invest in both of Microsoft’s consoles, without the need to spend hundreds of pounds at a time.

GAME has been in the news for another reason recently. The retailer brought in a property consultancy firm to value their property portfolio, which some belief could indicate that a number of locations are set to close. A representative from the firm, CBRE, said that they were simply advising the retailer on their 259 properties, and 21 Belong gaming arenas.