Microsoft is going big to promote its Xbox All Access program, through which shoppers can grab a new Xbox for $0 up front and then pay it off over time like a smartphone plan.
This subsidized Xbox offer has been around for a long time already but Microsoft appears to be ramping up its efforts to push the offer, the latest example of which is an ad campaign featuring actor Andre Braugher, famous for playing Captain Raymond Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The silly ads show Braugher hyping the value of the subscription offering, and a cute little corgi even appears.
Xbox All Access costs $25/month for the Series S and $35/month for the Series X, with zero down to start. You pay it off over the course of 24 months, and the membership also includes two years of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. You can sign up through Microsoft or via Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart.
Microsoft has actually offered a smartphone-style payment plan option for Xbox consoles dating back to 10 years to the Xbox 360 days. Back then, it was more of an experiment, but clearly, Microsoft sees it as a more viable option these days which is why it is pushing the program in the way it is.
For their part, Sony and Nintendo do not offer subsidized PlayStation and Switch consoles.
