Xbox All-Access expands to the UK and Australia

Microsoft’s subscription service for Xbox One consoles called Xbox All-Access, which was launched first in the US, is now coming to the UK and Australia.

Xbox All-Access is a service similar to smartphone contracts, giving consumers the ability to pay a monthly fee for 24 months (starting at $19.99/£17.99) for Xbox One hardware, S, X, or All-Digital, and an Ultimate Game Pass subscription. The Ultimate Game Pass includes both a selection of Xbox and PC games, as well as Xbox Live Gold.

After a successful trial in the US, the service is now expanding to the UK and Australia. Right now the service is available through Amazon in the US, Smyths Toys and GAME in the UK, and Telstra in Australia. Microsoft has said that the service will be coming to other territories in the future.

Anyone who subscribes to the service this year will have the option to upgrade to Project Scarlett when it launches in Holiday 2020. Further details about the offer have been posted on the Xbox Blog.

Xbox All-Access mirrors the smartphone industry by allowing consumers to get their hands on the latest games consoles without an upfront cost. With the release of both the Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4 Pro this generation, the service seems more beneficial because of the way it mirrors the smartphone industry.

The transition from this console generation to the next, with the PlayStation 5 and Project Scarlett, is much more like the transition between smartphone hardware than ever before. Both next generation consoles will support games from this and previous generations, in the same way that new smartphones still support the same apps as previous models.

Jeff Gatis, General Manager of Platform and Devices Marketing for Microsoft, said that the consumer is at the centre of Xbox All-Access by design. He added that the content and quality of the program gives players everything they need to start playing the latest games.

Gatis went on to explain that Microsoft is proud to be offering a unique service to consumers that offers the best value in gaming. The company is looking forward to pushing the program further in additional regions as time goes on.