Xbox Game Pass Inactive Accounts won’t Be Charged

Normally at almost every digital product subscription memberships automatically renew for a period of time if not canceled before the deadline. This also affects Xbox Game Pass users who no longer use their account. In the future, Microsoft will allow the subscription to expire automatically.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has: investigated, how automatic subscription renewals are handled on different consoles. The agency criticizes the fact that Xbox Game Pass members are not sufficiently informed about the remaining term and automatic renewals of the subscription. Microsoft recently responded to the investigation, submitting a catalog of planned changes to the CMA.

In the future, the Redmond-based company would like to better inform its customers about the various conditions before taking out a subscription. Users must be told how the membership works and when the Xbox Game Pass will renew and at what cost. Members must also learn how to request refunds for involuntarily renewed subscriptions. Once a subscription is automatically continued, users will be notified by email about the renewal and cancellation options.

Automatic termination

Anyone who has a subscription and who has not used the service for a long time will also be contacted. If the subscription is still not used or terminated, Microsoft will automatically expire the subscription. This is to prevent users from continuing to pay indefinitely without using the service.

It is currently unclear how long a user must be inactive before their membership is automatically terminated. It is not yet known whether Microsoft will make the switch worldwide. Inactive accounts may initially only expire in the UK. It also remains unclear whether other publishers such as Sony and Nintendo will also adjust their models.