New Xbox Game Pass perk is a big win for Marvel fans
Xbox Game Pass subscribers now get an ace Marvel freebie
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Xbox Game Passis already excellent value, offering access to hundreds of games for a monthly subscription fee, but it’s about to get more attractive outside of play time, too.
As part of your subscription deal, you’ll now also get three months free access to the superbMarvel Unlimited comics app, which is available on iPhone, Android devices, tablets and computers. Note that there is not a nativeMarvelUnlimited app forXbox Series X, S or One – though you may be able to access some of its features through its website on the Edge browser.
IfGame Passis Netflix for Xbox games, Marvel Unlimited is Netflix for Marvel comics, giving you instant access to a library of almost every Marvel comic ever printed – aside from those released within the last 6 months. At present, there’s more than 300,000 digital comics available through the app.
As ever, there’s a catch. The deal runs until May 31, and you have to be a brand new subscriber to Marvel Unlimited – you can’t use the deal to top up an existing sub. But for everyone else, considering Marvel Unlimited is usually set at a monthly fee of $9.99, or an annual fee of $69.99, it’s a great chance to give it a try.
The building blocks of the MCU
If you’ve just come out of a screening ofThe Batman, then, sure, Marvel Unlimited won’t be for you – DC Comics characters like Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman won’t be featured on the Marvel-only Unlimited app.
But if you’ve just read our how to watch theMarvel movies in orderguide, and are wondering where all those magical stories came from, Marvel Unlimited is like a crash course in comic book history.
From the very first appearance ofSpider-Manto the latest adaptations of Venom, Vision and The Avengers, you’ll be able to go through decades of story arcs, dip your toes into obscure back issues without paying through the nose for collectors prices, and get insight into the worlds of upcoming small screen stars like Moon Knight and Ms Marvel. It’s a great app on mobile devices in particular, where you can take advantage of its offline issue downloading capabilities, and a ‘Smart Panel’ option which fills your screen with the action of one comic frame at a time, giving a cinematic swipe through each story.
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Beyond the games, the perks ofXbox Game Passare stacking up. There’s a 30-day free trial ofParamount Plusin the US to sample the first fewHalo TV showepisodes, a 4 month trial of Spotify,YouTubePremium and Crunchyroll offers too. Pretty, pretty good.
Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site’s home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don’t expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of ‘Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future’, published by Aurum Press.
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