I still remember opening my Xbox in February 2025 and seeing the Avowed Premium Edition upgrade sitting right next to the standard Game Pass install button. I had been eager for Avowed since it was announced. Obsidian Entertainment was making an action RPG in the same world as Pillars of Eternity, and it was launching on Game Pass day one. That should have been an easy win. Instead, I found myself stuck on a $25 decision that still bothers me in 2026.
I don't mind paying for extra content. But as an ordinary player, I needed to see what I would actually get. The Standard Edition was $70. The Premium Edition was $90. For Game Pass members, the Premium Edition upgrade was $25, which promised the same bonus content as the standalone Premium Edition. I clicked through the official Xbox listing and read the details. The upgrade included two sets of companion skins, a digital artbook, a digital soundtrack, and five days of early access before the February 18 launch.
That last part sounded exciting. Five days of early access meant playing on February 13. But then I looked for the rest. There was no story expansion. No campaign DLC. No gameplay-affecting items. The skins were purely cosmetic. The artbook and soundtrack lived outside the game. The real selling point was early access, and early access alone does not feel like content.
I remember comparing it to other Game Pass releases. In 2024, Xbox Game Pass had several major launches, and many of their premium upgrades offered more. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Starfield both had upgrades around $35. Yes, they were a bit more expensive than Avowed's $25, but they included early access, skins, soundtracks and/or artbooks, and future story DLC. The DLC was the main event. It had a tangible effect on the player's experience after release.
I made a small mental table at the time:
| Game | Upgrade price | Early access | Story DLC | Cosmetics & extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avowed | $25 | 5 days | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | $35 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Starfield | $35 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Looking at that table made me hesitate. Avowed was asking $25 for early access and cosmetics, while other games had asked only $10 more for early access plus actual future story content. It felt like the bulk of Avowed's value was being placed on impatience.
The community split bothered me even more. When a big RPG launches, part of the appeal is discovering things together. You meet new companions, figure out mechanics, and share reactions while everything is fresh. But five days of early access creates two groups: players who paid extra and everyone else. I did not want to dodge spoilers for almost a week. I also did not want to pay $25 just to avoid that feeling.
Now, in 2026, I still think Avowed set a frustrating precedent. It was one of the first big Game Pass releases of 2025, and it helped normalize the idea that early access alone can be a premium selling point. I have seen that pattern continue in some later releases, even though some games still get it right by bundling future DLC. 🎮
I am not saying anyone should feel bad for buying the upgrade. If five days of early access is worth $25 to you, that is fine. But I am saying publishers should not treat the community's desire to play at the same time as everyone else as a marketing tool. Video games are expensive enough. Game Pass is appealing because it lowers the barrier. Asking subscribers to pay $25 on top of a subscription just to avoid being left behind feels unfair.
As an ordinary player, I want my money to go toward content. Give me a story expansion, a new area, a meaningful item, or something that changes how I play. Early access is not a gift. It is a timer. And I do not think I should have to pay $25 to pause it. ⏳