Login
Xbox Game Pass Essential
Mid-tier Xbox subscription — a curated game library, online multiplayer and cloud saves on Xbox Series, One and compatible devices
Choose option
Account country
Subscription length
No plans available for this country
Quantity
What's in Game Pass Essential
Mid-tier Xbox subscription: 50+ games on console and in the cloud, plus online multiplayer. The sweet spot for players who outgrew Core but don't need everything Ultimate offers.
Includes Xbox Cloud Gaming — stream games to phones, tablets and a browser without downloading them. The library is smaller than Ultimate but features hits like Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon, Sea of Thieves and Gears 5.
Online multiplayer for every paid game on Xbox console: Call of Duty, EA SPORTS FC, Rocket League. Cloud saves, Microsoft Store discounts and Microsoft Rewards bonuses up to $50 per year.
Not included: day-one Xbox Game Studios releases, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew and PC Game Pass — those require Ultimate.
1 min
Instant delivery
—
Xbox regions
Before you buy
- The key activates only on an account from the chosen region — change region at account.microsoft.com
- If Essential is already active on your account, the new key extends the subscription past the current end date
- Activating Ultimate over Essential converts remaining days into Ultimate days at Microsoft's ratio (roughly 1:0.66)
- Once activated, the key can't be refunded, cancelled or moved to another account
- Essential is a relatively new Microsoft tier — on older consoles the UI may still label it 'Game Pass for Console' or 'Cloud Gaming'
How to redeem the key
1
Open microsoft.com/redeem or press Xbox button → Store → Redeem code
2
Sign in to the Microsoft account from the region you bought the key for
3
Enter the 25-character code from the email (format XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX)
4
Confirm — the Essential library, online multiplayer and cloud gaming unlock instantly
FAQ
Essential sits between Core and Ultimate: 50+ games (vs 25+ on Core and 500+ on Ultimate), cloud gaming included, but no EA Play, Ubisoft+ or day-one Xbox Game Studios releases — those require Ultimate.
Yes. Xbox Cloud Gaming is included in Essential — stream library games to Android, iOS, smart TVs, Meta Quest and a browser, no console download needed.
Yes. The subscription unlocks online multiplayer for every paid game on Xbox console — Call of Duty, EA SPORTS FC, Rocket League, Mortal Kombat and others. Free-to-play games (Fortnite, Warzone) play online without any subscription.
Yes. Activate an Ultimate key on top — Microsoft converts remaining Essential days into Ultimate days at the price ratio. It's the smoothest upgrade without losing time.