How could someone own a XBOX and NOT have Gamepass? It's a fantastic bargain for what you get, which is access to a ton of games, some of them big new releases. It also allows you to experience games you would usually never think of paying for.

Plus if you 'game' the system, it's not THAT expensive. When I first got my series X, I used the xbox live trick and got 3 years of ultimate for like $180. To extend that right now I just checked and it will cost me about $110 for another year from buying 4 3 month cards online. Not as nice as the Live trick, but $110 is really not that much for access to all that content for a whole year, especially if you have a decent job.

And as others have said. That gamepass/xbox live requirement for any online playing has been around for years and years. I remember that requirement back when I had a xbox 360. I think only people new to Xbox consoles are shocked by it.

But it's there and you either do it or buy a computer or PS5 if you want to play FF14 some other way.