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Xbox Game Pass Discounts: 2024 Guide to Savings on Games & DLC

Last Updated: November 5, 2025

Xbox Game Pass logo with games and Microsoft Rewards points overlay.

As an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you have access to a massive, rotating library of hundreds of games. But what happens when a title you love is about to leave the service, or you want to own its DLC permanently? A key, yet often misunderstood, feature of the subscription is the member discount—a powerful tool for building your permanent digital library at a reduced cost.

Despite occasional online rumors and temporary store glitches causing confusion, the Xbox Game Pass member discount remains a core and active pillar of the service's value proposition. Microsoft has not removed this long-standing perk. Instead, it works in tandem with the robust Microsoft Rewards program to offer subscribers a dual-pronged approach to saving money.

What Is the Game Pass Member Discount?

The Game Pass discount is a straightforward, point-of-sale reduction on digital content for active subscribers. It's designed to make the transition from "renting" a game via the service to owning it a more attractive option.

Here’s the breakdown:

  • Up to 20% Off Game Purchases: If a game is currently in the Game Pass library (PC or Console), active members can purchase it to own forever with a discount of up to 20% off the standard Microsoft Store price.
  • Up to 10% Off DLC and Add-Ons: For any game in the catalog, subscribers also receive a discount of up to 10% on related downloadable content. This is a huge incentive for players invested in live-service titles like Sea of Thieves or who want to buy expansions for massive RPGs like Starfield.

This perk is invaluable for several reasons. It allows players to secure permanent access to a game they've discovered and fallen in love with, ensuring they can still play it long after it cycles out of the Game Pass rotation. For DLC, it’s the most direct way to get more out of the games you're already playing through the service.

The Perfect Partner: How Microsoft Rewards Amplifies Your Savings

Where the original value proposition ended with a simple discount, Microsoft now offers a powerful complementary system: Microsoft Rewards. This loyalty program is deeply integrated into the Xbox ecosystem and is not a replacement for the direct discount, but rather an enhancement to it.

The system allows users to accumulate points for various activities, many of which you’re already doing:

  • Completing Game Pass Quests: Playing specific games, trying new releases, and even logging into the mobile app will complete daily, weekly, and monthly quests that award hundreds or thousands of points.
  • Unlocking Achievements: Earning achievements in nearly any game contributes to your Rewards total.
  • Platform Engagement: Simple activities like searching with Bing or completing polls on the Microsoft Rewards dashboard add to your balance.

These points can be redeemed for a variety of prizes, but the most popular option for gamers is Xbox gift cards. By consistently engaging with Game Pass quests, a dedicated player can earn enough points to redeem for gift cards, which can then be used to purchase games and DLC.

This creates a potent saving strategy: first, the Game Pass member discount automatically reduces the price of a game or DLC. Then, you can pay for the remaining balance using gift cards you acquired essentially for free just by playing.

What This Means for Gamers Today

The synergy between the direct discount and the Rewards program creates a flexible and rewarding ecosystem. The reaction to this dual system is overwhelmingly positive, as it caters to two types of players.

For those who simply want an immediate, no-fuss saving on a DLC purchase, the 10% member discount is a tangible, instant benefit. There's no need to engage with other systems; the value is right there at checkout.

For the highly engaged player who regularly completes Game Pass quests, the value proposition is even greater. The promise of more points through dedicated play provides a clear path to earning enough credit to get new expansions or even entire games for free. It gamifies loyalty and rewards players directly for their time and dedication to the Xbox platform. This system offers far more flexibility than the discount alone, as redeemed gift cards can be spent on any digital item in the store, not just Game Pass-related content.

Ultimately, Microsoft's strategy is clear: Game Pass is the gateway to discovering your next favorite game, and the combination of member discounts and the Rewards program provides the most compelling reason to invest in that game for the long haul. The discount isn't gone—it’s just one powerful half of a much more valuable equation.