You no longer need an Xbox, and this Prime Day Game Pass deal shows why
Jul. 16, 2024This Prime Day bundle basically gets you a Series S for $80, but you don’t have long to grab it
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The Xbox Series S has always been a tempting prospect to me. Before this generation, I had never bought into the Xbox ecosystem, but that didn’t stop me from feeling a pang of jealousy every time a brand-new game hit Game Pass. “The Game Pass Machine” is the most affordable current-gen console, and it’s frequently on sale asMicrosofttries to get more people in the door.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K MAX + Xbox Core Wireless Controller + 1 Month of Game Pass Ultimate|$119.98$78.99 at AmazonSave $40- From what we can see, this is a brand-new bundle. That would certainly make sense since the ability for Fire TV Sticks to stream Xbox Game Pass games was only announced a week ago. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max usually costs $60, with the Core controller normally sitting at the same MSRP. Regardless of buying separately, this is hundreds of dollars cheaper than buying a full console.
Buy it if:
✅ You want access to Game Pass✅ You don’t want to splash out on a console✅ You have a solid internet connection
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You want to play AAA games natively
UK:£59.99£32.99 at Amazon
Now, I know what you’re thinking, with a Fire TV Stick, you can’t download games and play them natively. Annoyingly, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max’s 16GB of storage space won’t let you download Game Pass games, as nice as it would be to install some smaller indies on it. Fortunately, if you have an internet connection that’s strong enough to stream 4K TV shows and movies on a Fire TV Stick, you can likely stream Game Pass games on the cloud with no bother at all.
This isn’t a Prime Exclusive deal, which is odd for such a brilliant Prime Day deal, but there are a few small caveats. Firstly, the one month of included Game Pass Ultimate membership is only going to work if you’re not an existing subscriber. That shouldn’t stop too many people from being interested since this is the sort of bundle that attracts newcomers, but it is worth noting.
Secondly, if you’re in the UK, this bundle doesn’t seem to exist anywhere, but the same4K Max Fire TV stick is at its lowest-ever price. Between that, adiscounted controller, and aGame Pass deal, you can still recreate the bundle separately.
Prime Day gaming deals at a glance
For starters, let me talk directly to anyone who doesn’t actually own a games console at the moment. If you’re only able to play games every now and again, and you don’t have the time or budget to dedicate to a full setup, this is probably the ideal bundle for you. Game Pass will give you access to hundreds of quality games that you can dip your toes into whenever you please, without the financial commitment of modern game prices.
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
If you’re a gamer who already plays on a PS5 or PC, this is a pretty sweet bundle for you too. Arguably, if you have a smart TV already, you may already have access to a Game Pass app, but with the fairly unreliable performance of most TV processors, I’d recommend going with a more dedicated device that won’t make your display implode. Yes, you could buy aPrime Day TV dealto get a more up-to-date model, but that’ll set you back a lot more than $80.
Another alternative might be to grab aPrime Day Meta Quest dealsince theQuest 3can now stream Game Pass games too. That could be an appealing option since you can take your playtime on the go with you, but again, it’ll set you back a lot more than the bundle above, especially if you don’t own a compatible controller.
Hunting for more bargains this summer? We’ve found the bestPrime Day Kindle deals,Prime Day PC deals, andPrime Day Lego deals.
One of my earliest memories is playing SuperMario64 and wondering why the controller I held had three grips, but I only had two hands. Ever since I’ve been in love with video games and their technology. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship at Expert Reviews. Over the last decade, I’ve been managing my ownYouTube channelabout my love of games too. These days, I’m one of the resident hardware nerds at GamesRadar+, and I take the lead on our coverage of gaming PCs, VR, controllers, gaming chairs, and content creation gear. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.Location: UK Remote
As ex-PlayStation boss suggests consoles are becoming “irrelevant,” veteran analyst predicts they’ll become “more open,” but “Nintendo will be the absolute last people to do that”
As the wait for Switch 2 news continues, a possible leak has some Nintendo fans convinced a blurry image features our first look at the new console
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 makes headshots deadlier while cutting back on weapon sway and recoil: “We will be keeping a close eye on sniper balance after this change”
