.jfif)
PlayStation 5 players may have the chance to experience Indiana Jones and the Great Circle before some Xbox Game Pass Standard subscribers. The game, developed by Bethesda and MachineGames, is scheduled to release on Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 9, 2024, but its PS5 debut is expected in spring 2025, with reports suggesting an April release.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will be available from day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC, but it will not be accessible to Xbox Game Pass Standard subscribers upon its initial release. Microsoft recently revamped Xbox Game Pass, removing day-one access to first-party titles from the standard subscription tier. This change, effective from September 12, 2024, means that only Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass for PC subscribers will get immediate access to new Xbox first-party games.
Under the new system, Xbox Game Pass Standard subscribers might not see Indiana Jones and the Great Circle until June 2025 at the earliest, considering that Microsoft has indicated a possible delay of 6–12 months or more before first-party games appear on the standard tier. The exact timing could be even longer, especially if the game performs well commercially.
The disparity between the availability of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 and Xbox Game Pass Standard highlights a potential disadvantage for Xbox's standard subscribers. If the game garners significant interest, it's possible that Game Pass Standard users might not gain access until late 2025 or beyond.
Microsoft may attempt to address this gap by accelerating the release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for Game Pass Standard users before the PS5 version arrives. However, this remains speculative and unconfirmed.
This situation also reflects broader concerns about Xbox Game Pass, which has faced criticism recently, including remarks from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick who labeled day-one Game Pass releases as irrational. The perception of Game Pass has been impacted by these recent changes, emphasizing the challenges Microsoft faces in balancing its subscription tiers while competing with other platforms.