Summary
- Microsoft is raising prices for Xbox Game Pass on both consoles and PC, with changes coming on September 12.
- The new pricing will affect all tiers, including the Ultimate tier, which will now cost $19.99/month, up from $16.99/month.
- The changes include a new "Standard" tier and the removal of the mid-range "Game Pass for Console" tier.
Microsoft has finally announced the long-rumored price increase for its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, as well as some other major changes like scaling back on day one first-party launches, a brand-new tier, and more. The revised prices and alterations for Xbox Game Pass will come into effect for Xbox consoles and PC from September 12, 2024.
A few months ago, rumors surfaced about Microsoft internally considering a price hike for Xbox Game Pass or even a new tier above Ultimate. These discussions were reportedly being held due to the promised inclusion of expensive tentpole Xbox first-party titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle later this year into Game Pass. Microsoft denied the rumors about a new uppermost tier, but curiously didn't refute the price increase allegations.
It seems the avoidance of addressing the price hike concerns was very much intentional, as Microsoft just confirmed the price bump in a new report from Jez Corden writing for Windows Central. This announcement came shortly after Game Pass subscribers in Canada started receiving emails from Microsoft that mentioned a price hike for the service's Ultimate tier. According to the Windows Central report, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will cost $19.99 USD/month starting September 12. This will be a $3 increase over Ultimate's current $16.99 monthly fee, and a $36 increase for a full year.
However, that's not all, as Microsoft will implement price hikes for other tiers of the subscription service as well. The cost of PC Game Pass will be increased to $11.99/month from $9.99/month, and the lowermost Game Pass Core tier for consoles will undergo a yearly price jump to $74.99 from $59.99, but its $9.99 monthly charge will remain the same. Interestingly, Microsoft will also stop offering the current mid-range "Game Pass for Console" tier to new users, and plans to replace it with a new "Standard" tier that includes first-party back-catalog titles but no day one releases.
Updated Prices for Xbox Game Pass Tiers
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (PC and console) - $19.99/month, up from $16.99/month
- Xbox Game Pass (PC) - $11.99/month, up from $9.99/month
- Xbox Game Pass Core (console) - $74.99/year, no changes to monthly fees
Some of these price hikes may appear steep to current Game Pass subscribers, but it could also be argued that this is simply the cost of adding huge day one titles like Call of Duty, Avowed, Indiana Jones, Doom: The Dark Ages, and many more to the service. Signing big third-party games for Game Pass isn't a frugal endeavor, either, so while many might be disappointed with the price increases, they were more an inevitability than a possibility.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft's flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.
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