Under the new leadership of Asha Sharma as CEO of Xbox, the company appears to be preparing a strategic shift for its flagship service: Xbox Game Pass. According to recent reports, the Microsoft Gaming team is evaluating the possibility of launching a bundle that combines Game Pass with Netflix, with the clear objective of making the package more attractive and capturing as many subscribers as possible. The plan, still in the exploration phase, would include a more affordable Game Pass tier that could be combined with a Netflix subscription, or even integrated directly into certain payment options. This idea not only responds to competitive pressure from other subscription services, but also to a very specific discontent left by the service's last price increase. The discontent over the Game Pass price increase: In 2025, Microsoft significantly raised the cost of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, from around $19.99 to $29.99 per month in the United States, which amounted to an extra $120 per year for many users. The community's reaction was swift and forceful: social media was flooded with criticism, surveys showed that almost half of the readers of major media outlets did not consider the new price viable, and there was a noticeable increase in cancellations. The problem wasn't just the price itself, but the perceived value. Many players felt the service hadn't expanded enough in terms of exclusive content or additional benefits to justify such a large price jump. In that context, the arrival of a new CEO with a clearly more consumer-oriented approach couldn't ignore that pent-up anger.

Asha Sharma's strategy: lower prices and bundles with services like Netflix

Asha Sharma, who has only been at the helm of Microsoft Gaming for a few weeks, has already made two objectives clear: to revive Game Pass's growth and employ more flexible pricing models. In conversations with developers at the 2016 Game Developers Conference (GDC), the executive reportedly indicated that they want to "make consoles and services like Game Pass more attractive to a wider audience" through new pricing structures and cheaper tiers.Among the leaked ideas is the creation of a new ad-supported subscription tier, following the same logic Netflix already uses for its most economical plan. But the most striking move is undoubtedly the potential collaboration with Netflix to offer a combined Game Pass + streaming package. According to sources close to both executives, Sharma has held several meetings with Greg Peters, co-CEO of Netflix, and they have "played around with ideas" on how to integrate the services into a single bundle. Why a Netflix bundle could reverse user dissatisfaction: Including Netflix within a Game Pass tier would have a very strong psychological and practical effect: the user would feel they are paying less for "more stuff," even if the current price doesn't decrease that much. Many households already pay for Netflix separately, so having that content integrated into an entertainment package (games + series and movies) might seem like better value than the current Game Pass Premium. Furthermore, Netflix has been expanding its presence in video games, so expanding the Netflix game catalog through Xbox could be an extra incentive for many subscribers of the streaming platform. For Microsoft, the move would be smart: it wouldn't have to directly reduce the price of Game Pass, but rather "enrich" the content and boost the multiplatform experience (console, PC, and mobile). Asha Sharma's plan seems designed to soften the negative impact of the latest price increase and rebuild trust among gamers. If the Netflix bundle materializes, it will be one of the first major moves of its tenure: a clear attempt to unite gaming and streaming in a single package, with the goal of making Game Pass a more irresistible service and, above all, easier to justify each month.

Why a Netflix bundle could reverse user dissatisfaction

Including Netflix within a Game Pass tier would have a very strong psychological and practical effect: users would feel they are paying less for “more stuff,” even if the current price It doesn't decrease that much. Many households already pay for Netflix separately, so having that content integrated into an entertainment package (games + series and movies) might seem like better value than the current Game Pass Premium.

Furthermore, Netflix has been expanding its presence in video games, so expanding the Netflix game catalog through Xbox could be an extra incentive for many subscribers of the streaming platform.

For Microsoft, the move would be smart: it wouldn't have to directly reduce the price of Game Pass, but rather "enrich" the content and boost the multiplatform experience (console, PC, and mobile). Asha Sharma's plan seems designed to soften the negative impact of the latest price increase and rebuild trust among gamers. If the bundle with Netflix materializes, it will be one of the first major moves of her tenure:a clear attempt to unite gaming and streaming in a single package, with the goal of making Game Pass a more irresistible service and, above all, easier to justify each month.

Why a Netflix bundle could reverse user dissatisfaction

Including Netflix within a Game Pass tier would have a very strong psychological and practical effect: users would feel they are paying less for “more stuff,” even if the current price doesn't decrease that much. Many households already pay for Netflix separately, so having that content integrated into an entertainment package (games + series and movies) might seem like better value than the current Game Pass Premium.

Furthermore, Netflix has been expanding its presence in video games, so expanding the Netflix game catalog through Xbox could be an extra incentive for many subscribers of the streaming platform.

For Microsoft, the move would be smart: it wouldn't have to directly reduce the price of Game Pass, but rather "enrich" the content and boost the multiplatform experience (console, PC, and mobile). Asha Sharma's plan seems designed to soften the negative impact of the latest price increase and rebuild trust among gamers. If the bundle with Netflix materializes, it will be one of the first major moves of her tenure: a clear attempt to unite gaming and streaming in a single package, with the goal of making Game Pass a more irresistible service and, above all, easier to justify each month.with the goal of making Game Pass a more irresistible service and, above all, easier to justify each month.with the goal of making Game Pass a more irresistible service and, above all, easier to justify each month.