UPDATE 18/08/21: Previously, you can subscribe Xbox Game Pass for PC without needing a Paypal account or a credit/debit card. Microsoft has made having either a Paypal account or a credit/debit attached to the country/region of the Microsoft Store mandatory. As such, this method is now obsolete.
Xbox Game Pass For PC is a subscription service that lets you play a library of games, including Microsoft 1st-party titles, for a flat monthly fee on PC. But the service is only officially supported in these 38 countries at the current time. There are:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Czech Rep
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Arab Emirates
- UK
- US
If you are not living in any of these countries, that does not mean you cannot jump in with the subscription. And no, it does not involve any dodgy sign-ups and downloads. Just a matter of getting a gift card.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass for PC in unsupported regions.
Step 1: Download the Xbox App on Windows 10
Xbox Game Pass For PC requires you to have the latest Windows 10 update as the games are all from the Microsoft Store (as in, there are UWP apps). Just ensure your PC is up to date and then head here to download the Xbox (beta) app. It will act as your front page to the list of Xbox Game Pass For PC games.
Step 2: Get at least $10 USD Xbox Live gift card
Microsoft region locks the service, so if you try to pay for the subscription from a card or bank outside of supported regions it will ping back an error. However, you can also redeem a gift card. Find a reputable gift card seller (for Malaysia, the SEAGM and Playcoin stores on Lazada are good choices) and purchase at least a $10 USD Xbox Live gift card.
Step 3: Subscribe Game Pass For PC via the Xbox App
Now go open the Xbox App, and then scroll down to find the prompt to subscribe to Game Pass. Or go to settings, then account, which will have a button to go buy Game Pass.
There are two options: Xbox Game Pass For PC and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes Xbox Game Pass on Xbox One. If you don’t have an Xbox One, no need to pick that, of course.
During the payment selection, select redeem gift card, and then enter your gift card code from there.
Of note, there’s a reason where you need a $10 minimum to subscribe to Game Pass. Microsoft offers a promo price of $1 USD for the first month, but they also want you to have enough funds for the second month for the usual price of $4.99 USD. So the intro price is actually $4.99 for two months, and a 5$ gift card will not be enough.
(However, they will only charge you $1 for the first month, as advertised.)
Step 4: Switch regions to US
Now on your PC, go search for Region Settings, and then change it to United States. While you should be good to go at this point, switching to US means that you will get access to all the Xbox Game Pass library of games.
Some games, like The Outer Worlds, is not yet released in Malaysia’s Microsoft Store, for instance. And booting that game up will have an error. Switching to US is the safest answer, and gets around this error.
That’s It!
And you should be good to go! Xbox Game Pass For PC is a pretty neat subscription service that, ashamedly, has not been rolled out to as many countries compared to, say, Apple Arcade.
But for the investment of around RM40 (or your region equivalent) for the $10 USD gift card allows you access to many interesting games on the service, including Gears 5 and The Outer Worlds for at least two months. And it’s worth jumping some hoops if you want to play those games right now for the cheap.