Microsoft appears to be working on expanding its Xbox Game Pass subscription to China. References to “Project Saluki” have been discovered in a recent update to the Xbox PC, with Microsoft describing the codename as “an expansion of the China market for Game Pass, Rewards, and subscription tiers.”
See also: Microsoft is abandoning Xbox Copilot AI
While Microsoft offers a variety of games in China through Activision Blizzard, it does not currently offer Xbox Game Pass in the country. Microsoft sells Xbox consoles in China and first released the Xbox One in 2014, making it the first video game console to do so after a 14-year government ban on game consoles.
See also: Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition: New version via Discord Nitro
The Xbox Store in China has a much smaller game catalog, as titles must be approved by Chinese regulators. This has complicated any plans to introduce Xbox Game Pass to China in the past, but Project Saluki could offer a smaller selection of games tailored for this unique market.
Microsoft’s Xbox PC app also mentions the codename Positron, which is said to “enable Disc2Digital.” It’s unclear exactly what Positron is, but it could be a return to Microsoft’s original plan to turn game discs into digital licenses. Microsoft had planned to do this with the Xbox One, but backlash from game publishers and resellers forced the company to abandon the plans.
See also: Microsoft: Launches free Xbox Cloud Gaming with ads
Windows Central speculates that Positron could be in preparation for Project Helix, Microsoft's next-generation Xbox console. Microsoft has been ramping up its push towards disc-less consoles, following the release of an all-digital Xbox Series S in 2020 and a disc-less Xbox Series X in white in 2024.
