Microsoft Could Be Partnering With Gaming Laptop Brands To Give Free PC Game Pass Subs

Microsoft could be in talks with local gaming laptop brands for a deal to give free subscriptions to PC Game Pass in the region, according to sources familiar with the matter.

While details on the deal are sparse, we do have one key tidbit- purchases of participating gaming laptops would include a free one-month trial to PC Game Pass.

This is another step in Xbox building its presence in the SEA region, considering the brand is associated with poor brand recognition here since its flagship console, the Xbox Series X, didn’t launch in many SEA countries.

However, Microsoft have been working to turn that around with the decision to launch PC Game Pass in Malaysia, getting fans on board with the subscription-based library of games with a great introductory price as well as regional pricing.

Of Free Trial Durations (Editorial)

One critique of the move would be its free trial duration. There’s been no golden guideline for how long a free sample of your subscription-based service should last- but the offering stacks up poorly next to brands like Samsung, who offer up to 4 months of YouTube Premium or Samsung’s 3 months of Spotify Premium.

Considering the sheer amount of things to do on PC Game Pass, a 3 month duration would be a pretty sweet deal for anyone who’d just bought a gaming laptop. It’d show off the one thing better than the huge library of games on the service- the fact that new games get added every month. Considering how often people might miss a title just as it leaves, the idea of getting Game Pass for more than a month alleviates a lot of key worries- namely that you might activate it during the one bum month before some huge title joins the roster.