XBOX and Meta are expanding their long-running partnership again, with Meta Horizon+ subscribers now getting a built-in way to try a new XBOX Game Pass “starter edition” benefit. It’s another step in Microsoft’s push to make Game Pass and cloud gaming feel omnipresent—now reaching deeper into the Meta Quest ecosystem and VR-focused players.
XBOX and Meta Deepen Their Partnership
For years, XBOX and Meta have worked together to make it easier to play your favorite games across more devices, including support for XBOX Cloud Gaming and XBOX Game Pass on Meta Quest headsets. The latest step in that relationship is a new XBOX Game Pass perk baked directly into Meta Horizon+, Meta’s subscription service for Quest owners, offered on top of existing XBOX access on those devices.
This collaboration effectively turns Meta Horizon+ into another discovery funnel for XBOX Game Pass, letting VR players dip into the Game Pass ecosystem without needing a separate console or PC purchase up front. It also highlights how both companies are treating subscriptions as the primary way to cross-promote games and grow their audiences.
Meta Horizon+ Adds XBOX Game Pass Starter Edition
Starting today, eligible Meta Horizon+ subscribers in supported regions get a starter edition of XBOX Game Pass bundled with their subscription. This starter edition includes access to 50+ games, 10 hours of cloud gaming per month, and Rewards for playing, essentially giving Quest users a curated slice of Game Pass plus limited cloud time to try a range of XBOX titles.
Meta Horizon+ itself costs $59.99 USD per year or $7.99 USD per month, and Meta has published the full details on how XBOX Game Pass now fits into the Horizon+ package on its official blog. If you’re already paying for Horizon+, the inclusion of XBOX Game Pass starter edition turns it into a more compelling cross-platform bundle, particularly if you like swapping between VR-native games and traditional console-style experiences streamed via the cloud.
What’s in the Starter Edition Game Pass Library?
According to the XBOX Wire post, the starter edition Game Pass library mixes AAA heavyweights with popular indie and co-op titles. Highlights include:
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Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 – Post-apocalyptic open-world RPG experiences from Bethesda Softworks, offering single-player exploration in Fallout 4 and online wasteland adventures in Fallout 76.
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Overcooked 2 – A chaotic co-op cooking game from Ghost Town Games where you and friends juggle recipes, kitchens, and disasters in increasingly wild scenarios.
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Grounded – Obsidian Entertainment’s survival game that shrinks you down to kid size and drops you into a giant backyard filled with insects, crafting, and environmental storytelling.
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DayZ – A brutal multiplayer zombie title from Bohemia Interactive, built around surviving a harsh world with permadeath tension, infection risk, and player-driven encounters.
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Deep Rock Galactic – A co-op first-person shooter where you form a squad of dwarven space miners, drilling into dangerous caverns, blasting aliens, and hunting resources together.
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SnowRunner – A detailed truck simulator that challenges you to drive powerful machines across mud, snow, and extreme terrain, prioritizing route planning, physics, and patience.
Together, these games showcase the breadth of Game Pass even in “starter” form: big RPGs, survival sandboxes, co-op chaos, and realistic simulators—all delivered via cloud gaming within your monthly 10-hour allotment. It’s enough variety to let Meta Horizon+ users find out whether Game Pass’ style of on-demand access fits how they play.
How Meta Horizon+ and XBOX Game Pass Work Together
Meta Horizon+ is Meta’s subscription service for Quest users that already offers a rolling catalog of VR titles plus two curated games you can add to your library each month, as long as your subscription stays active. By integrating the XBOX Game Pass starter edition, Meta effectively adds a non-VR layer on top—letting subscribers stream standard XBOX titles over the cloud through supported devices and controllers.
From Meta’s perspective, the move makes Horizon+ more competitive with services like XBOX Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, while giving Quest owners more to do with their headsets between VR sessions. For XBOX, it opens the door for cloud gaming to reach more players who may not own a console but do own a VR headset and are curious about jumping into games like Fallout 4 or Deep Rock Galactic without new hardware.
Pricing, Availability, and Getting Started
As noted in the XBOX Wire announcement, a Meta Horizon+ subscription is priced at $7.99 USD per month or $59.99 USD per year, with the Game Pass starter edition being included for eligible subscribers where the service is available. Regional availability and eligibility will depend on where XBOX Game Pass and Meta Horizon+ are supported, so users should check Meta’s blog or store listing for up-to-date details.
If you’re an eligible Meta Horizon+ subscriber in a supported region, you can begin exploring the starter edition of XBOX Game Pass right away and start experimenting with the 10-hour monthly cloud gaming allotment to find your next favorite game. Microsoft and Meta say they’re eager to hear feedback from players, which likely means the starter edition could evolve over time based on how often people use it and which kinds of games they gravitate toward.
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