Microsoft started to test a family plan for its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription service in the last couple of weeks, with select Xbox Insiders in Ireland and Columbia able to pay one monthly fee for up to five Xbox profiles to access Game Pass.

Now it seems that the prospective new tier will allow more than just family members to share membership - Xbox will reportedly call it "Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family".

The discovery was found by renowned Xbox data miner, Aggiornamenti Lumia, who posted the logo for the service on Twitter. He is known for finding official Xbox assets in the company's online systems.

It's the "friends" bit that is of most interest here, as it suggests you'll be able to share am Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription with people outside of your household, with one of the only restrictions being on numbers. Up to five Xbox profiles can share the one account.

Another is that members will need to reside in the same country - as per the current trial period in Ireland and Columbia.

In terms of price, it is reported that the trial in Ireland is priced at €21.99 per month. It usually costs €12.99 per month for single membership. That's an attractive price point for access for up to five.

There's no word yet on when Microsoft might launch the tier universally. We'll update when we find out more.