Microsoft may combine Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft will reportedly launch a new Xbox Live subscription package bundling Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass.

According The Verge, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will offer both existing services for a single monthly fee. This will reportedly cost $14.99, representing a monthly saving of $5 compared to buying the two separately.

Priced at $9.99 (£5.99) per month, Xbox Live Gold is required to play Xbox games online. It also offers members up to four free games every month, and discounts of up to 75% on Xbox One products in Microsoft Store. In the UK, Xbox Live prices will rise from May 8.

Launched in mid-2017, Xbox Games Pass offers unlimited access to almost 200 Xbox One and Xbox 360 games, including new first-party titles when they launch, for $9.99/£7.99 per month. Minecraft was added to the service in early April.

The Verge also reports that Microsoft is likely to announce Xbox Game Pass Ultimate later this month alongside its rumoured disc-less Xbox One S console.

According to marketing materials received by Windows Central, the unconfirmed Xbox One S All-Digital edition console could be set to launch globally on May 7. It won’t feature a Blu-ray drive, making it cheaper than existing Xbox One models.

Product shots received by Windows Central suggest it will come with a 1TB HDD and digital codes for Forza Horizon 3, Sea of Thieves and Minecraft, although The Verge says users may also be able to buy the console with a choice of pre-installed games.

Microsoft is also rumoured to be working on two next-gen Xbox consoles, codenamed Lockhart and Anaconda, which could be unveiled at E3 2019 ahead of planned holiday 2020 launches.

Windows Central sources claim the next-gen family of Xbox consoles, codenamed Scarlett, will still include disc drives, at least as an option. Lockhart will reportedly be the cheaper of the two consoles, while Anaconda will be more powerful and more expensive.