Xbox Chief Asha Sharma Teases Discord Partnership, Promises to Make Game Pass 'More Flexible'

Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma is keeping busy. Just a day after announcing price cuts for Xbox Game Pass, the Xbox chief teased a new Game Pass and Discord collaboration on Wednesday. Sharma, who promised major changes to Xbox when she took over as CEO in February, said Microsoft would partner with Discord as it continued to make Game Pass “more flexible” for players. 

The Xbox boss announced the partnership in a post on X and said Microsoft and Discord would share more details soon. Sharma said some Game Pass users might begin to see “some code in the wild.” 

“For years, Xbox and Discord have worked together to make it easier for players to connect, chat, and play across devices,” Sharma said.  “We're teaming up again as we continue to make Game Pass more flexible for our players. Some of you might start to see some code in the wild, and we will share more details with you all soon!” 

The Microsoft executive did not detail what the Xbox and Discord collaboration would look like for Game Pass members. The two companies already have a standing promotion, wherein Game Pass Ultimate members receive one month of Discord Nitro as part of their subscription. Discord Nitro and Nitro Basic are premium plans that unlock more features for the messaging platform.  

Xbox Game Pass to Get 'More Flexible'

The key takeaway from Sharma's announcement, however, is the bit about making Xbox Game Pass “more flexible” for players. Her comment suggests Microsoft is considering making its game subscription service a little more customisable, possibly allowing players to tailor their desired Game Pass perks and benefits at a subscription fee they feel comfortable paying. 

According to Windows Central, making Game Pass more flexible for users is the “longer-term goal” for the Xbox parent. The company is reportedly weighing a “pick your own plan” formula for Xbox Game Pass that would let users decide the content they want as part of their membership.  

Right now, in addition to a library of over 400 free games and new Xbox titles on day one, Game Pass Ultimate bundles services like Fortnite Crew, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, console multiplayer, and cloud gaming. Perhaps with future Game Pass plans, users would be able to choose services they want and remove the ones they don't, and adjust membership cost accordingly.  

Changes to Xbox and Game Pass

This week, Microsoft dropped the price of Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 a month and announced that future Call of Duty titles would no longer join the subscription service on day one. Instead, Call of Duty releases will be added to Game Pass Ultimate the following holiday season, about a year after launching. 

In her Game Pass announcement Tuesday, Sharma said the Ultimate tier of the service had become “too expensive for too many players.” Alongside Ultimate, PC Game Pass received a price drop, too, going from $16.49 to $13.99 in the US. In India, Game Pass Ultimate now costs Rs. 1,089 a month, while PC Game Pass is priced at Rs. 879 a month. 

In addition to changes to Game Pass, Sharma is reportedly considering bigger changes to Xbox and reassessing some of the platform decisions taken under the previous leadership of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond. In one of her first acts as the new Xbox chief, Sharma shut down the infamous ‘This is an Xbox' marketing campaign. A Microsoft spokesperson said the executive was “personally leading a reset of how we show up as a brand.” 

Sharma is also believed to be evaluating Xbox's decision to pivot to multiplatform releases. Reports and rumours suggest Xbox console exclusivity for its first-party games could be back on the table, even as Microsoft prepares to launch several first-party games on PS5 in 2026, including Halo: Campaign Evolved, Forza Horizon 6, and Fable.