Microsoft has expanded its subscription service PC Game Pass to five countries in Southeast Asia. Gamers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines can now register for on-demand access to hundreds of games.
Table of Contents
- What is PC Game Pass?
- How to get PC Game Pass in the Philippines
- Xbox Game Pass Region Issue
- How much does PC Game Pass cost in PH?
- What games can I play with PC Game Pass?
- What happens to my game progress when PC Game Pass expires?
- Can I upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?
What is PC Game Pass?
PC Game Pass is a gaming subscription service. Think of it as Netflix, but instead of movies and TV shows, you get a wide range of video games on your PC for a very affordable monthly fee. As if that isn’t enough, the pass also gives you exclusive member discounts and day-one access to games by Xbox Game Studios.
It’s because of these perks that PC Game Pass is highly sought after by Filipino gamers, many of whom would find ways to circumvent geo-restrictions just to get a subscription. But as luck would have it, Microsoft noticed the demand and hinted back in July 2021 that Game Pass was coming to the Philippines. Fast-forward to late last month, Microsoft finally made it official.
How to get PC Game Pass in the Philippines
If you want to try out the Xbox Game Pass, simply follow these steps to find out how you can register and subscribe.
1. Launch the Microsoft Store. Find and install the Xbox Insider Hub app. You may also go directly to Xbox’s website here.
2. Launch the Xbox Insider Hub app and go to Previews.
3. Under the available previews, click on Windows Gaming and then click Join.
4. Repeat step 3 for the preview PC Game Pass Southeast Asia Market Expansion.
5. Once registration is complete, click Open in Xbox App.
6. In the Xbox app, click Join Game Pass.
There are a few more steps afterwards. You’ll need an Xbox account, so sign in (or register if you don’t have one yet) when prompted. You’ll also need to enter one of these valid payment methods: credit card, debit card, or PayPal.
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Xbox Game Pass Region Issue
If you get the error “Xbox Game Pass is not available in your region,” go to your Xbox account and Windows settings. Set the country/region to the Philippines. If the error persists, try resetting the Xbox app: press Start, launch Settings, and go to Apps > Apps & Features > Xbox > Advanced Options > Reset.
You may also try subscribing via the Microsoft Store.
How much does PC Game Pass cost in PH?
The regular local price of the PC Game Pass is currently ₱119.00 per month, though this may change once the subscription officially launches. For Filipino gamers who are subscribing for the first time, they can pay for a one-month trial period that only costs ₱5 and be automatically billed with the regular monthly cost unless they turn off recurring billing or cancel before the trial ends.
For comparison, the US version of PC Game Pass has a $9.99 monthly fee, with a $1 introductory price for the first month.
What games can I play with PC Game Pass?
As mentioned above, video games from 343 Industries, Obsidian, Bethesda and other studios under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella are part of PC Game Pass and immediately available for play on the day of their release. Also in the mix are AAA games from Ubisoft, Square Enix and other major third-party video game publishers, as well as indie games from smaller studios. To top it off, EA Play is also bundled with the subscription.
Games from every genre are available to satisfy both casual and hardcore games. The ones that caught my attention are the following:
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
- It Takes Two
- Sea of Thieves
- Halo Infinite
- Forza Horizon 4 and 5
- Sea of Thieves
How many games are included in PC Game Pass? Last I checked, there are a total of 387 PC games available. Note that the lineup is in rotation, as third-party games are added and removed from the subscription catalog over time. The lineup also seems to be different among supported regions. For instance, the game Back 4 Blood should be currently playable via the subscription but is listed otherwise.
What happens to my game progress when PC Game Pass expires?
Once your subscription ends, you lose your access to the video games you installed. However, your game progress should be fine as the installed games and their save data are still intact on your computer until you delete them. You can either resubscribe or purchase a digital or physical copy of the game to continue playing and resume your progress. Purchasing may be your only option for games that have left the active catalog.
Can I upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which comes with Xbox Cloud Gaming and other additional benefits on top of what’s included on the PC Game Pass, is not yet available in the Philippines. If you try to open your Microsoft account page and click the Upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate link, you’ll be redirected to either a 404 error page or the US version of the Xbox store.
For more details on PC Game Pass, visit Microsoft’s official FAQs page.