Xbox Game Pass Alpha Preview will be closing on April 7

Two weeks ago, the Xbox team launched the Xbox Game Pass, a new gaming subscription service that gives Xbox enthusiasts access to a catalog of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games for $9.99 per month. Select Xbox Insiders on the Preview Alpha ring can currently try the service for free before it becomes available to everyone later this spring, but it seems that the preview period will soon come to an end.

If you’ve been invited to try the service on your Xbox One, a new message in the Xbox Insider Hub is now telling users that the free preview will end on April 7 (via Windows Central):

Thank you for participating in the Xbox Game Pass Alpha Preview. Your feedback has been invaluable and will make the service better for all gamers. We will be closing Preview on April 7 in order to make our final tweaks and updates. But don’t worry, we’re getting close to launch and Xbox Game Pass will be available for all gamers later this Spring.

Microsoft has yet to reveal when the Xbox Game Pass will be generally available, but the company also announced that Xbox Live Gold subscribers would be invited to test the service ahead of launch. The Xbox team also clarified that Xbox Game Pass won’t replace the Games with Gold program, which gives Xbox Live Gold subscribers two Xbox One games and two Xbox 360 games for free each month.

Perhaps, in an effort of cross promotion, Game Pass members seeking to play online multiplayer games in the catalog will need to also have Xbox Live Gold accounts. For most looking to take advantage of Game Pass, the subscription to Xbox Live Gold may feel like a no-brainer.