Microsoft has released a rental service for its Xbox consoles with Xbox All Access. The offer is particularly interesting for online gamers, who want to fall back on the subscriptions of online services from Microsoft.

With Xbox All Access, Microsoft copied the mobile payment plan model for smartphones in connection with mostly two-year contracts for its Xbox consoles. The offer apparently put to the test applies only in the USA. If this proves to be a success there, the group could offer the subscription permanently and also in other countries.

With Xbox One Access, subscription customers can choose between an Xbox One S or an Xbox One X in different trim levels. You can choose between the individual consoles or currently available bundles with more hard disk space and discounted games. The respective price depends on the selected package.

For the Xbox One S Microsoft gives a monthly price of 21.99 US dollars (about 18.81 euros) and the Xbox One X of 34.99 US dollars (about 30 euros) for a period of two years. After that belongs to a paid over 24 installments console.

Included are the two-dollar-at-a-time Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold games services, all of which allow you to enjoy many free game titles and the Xbox Live gaming network.

Currently Microsoft seems to want to test the new concept only. On the corresponding pages in the US store, the company speaks of a limited offer. This can not be purchased online, but must go to a Microsoft store. This way, the Redmonder apparently want to attract more customers in their shops and these make when visiting the store and other products tasty.

In addition, the risk of possible payment defaults limits Microsoft by another condition. For the subscription customers must complete a so-called “Dell Preferred Account”, which includes a line of credit.

Despite these limitations, the offer should be interesting for some gamers. In the relatively expensive Xbox One X with 499 euros one bypasses it about the rather high one-time purchase price.

Because Microsoft uses monthly payments like Office 365 on many other products, Xbox All Access should be a test balloon for the gaming industry.