Xbox Game Pass now allows pre-loading of games
With more and more games joining Xbox Game Pass on the same day as their worldwide release, subscribers have been asking for one major feature: pre-loading.
Typically, games offer players the option to pre-load a few days before launch. For some reason, however, games we know will be part of Xbox Game Pass at launch - such as Microsoft-published titled - only become available to download on the day of release.
Subscribers have often wondered if pre-loading is a privilege reserved for owners of these games, but it looks like Microsoft is expanding the feature. Mike Ybarra, corporate vice president at Xbox, confirmed on Twitter that pre-loading Game Pass games is now a possibility.
Ybarra used Crackdown 3 as a example, which is now available to pre-load on PC, and Xbox One. This is obviously just a small file, as the build is not done yet, though Xbox One players should be familiar with this process.
One of the biggest asks we’ve had for @XboxGamePass was to allow pre-load (pre-install) so you can download and be ready the second launch happens. It’s available now - and starts with Crackdown 3 on Xbox and Windows. ????
— ?Mike Ybarra☃️ (@XboxQwik) November 13, 2018
When Ybarra was asked whether more imminent releases like Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden will also make use of the feature, he confirmed that is indeed the case.
Yeah, it will work.
— ?Mike Ybarra☃️ (@XboxQwik) November 13, 2018
This is great news for Game Pass members who specifically subscribe to play new games and not so much for the back catalogue.
