Xbox gives Game Pass a price hike and alters its plans
Microsoft gives Xbox Game Pass Ultimate a 50% price hike
Microsoft has fundamentally altered its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, increasing the price of its premium tiers while modifying what’s included in lower tiers. Now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is available for $29.99 per month, a 50% price hike over its prior pricing. While Microsoft is offering more content at this price, the change has proven to be a difficult pill to swallow for many gamers.
Xbox Game Pass Premium, Microsoft’s new mid-tier option, is now available for $14.99 and is significantly downgraded compared to Microsoft’s old “standard” Game Pass subscription. It features “Unlimited Cloud Gaming” and online console multiplayer, but no longer features new Xbox-published games on day-1. Now these Xbox-published games will arrive “within a year of launch”.
Microsoft altered the deal
With a 50% price increase for Ultimate Subscribers, Microsoft promises 75+ day-1 games per year. The subscription also includes Ubisoft Classics and EA Play. Furthermore, it will soon include Fortnite Crew and higher-quality game streaming. Many games will only be available to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
Changes to PC Game Pass
Microsoft has also confirmed that PC Game Pass will be increasing its price from $11.99 to $16.49 per month. Subscribers will retain access to day-1 games. Ubisoft Classics will not be included with the subscription, although approximately 50 new Ubisoft games are being added to the subscription. With day-1 game access, PC Game Pass remains a solid option for PC games.
Microsoft is investing heavily into Game Pass, expanding its library while promising more day-1 games to Ultimate Subscribers. Will these increased costs help Microsoft recoup their investment, or will they force gamers to abandon the subscription model? With Game Pass Ultimate now costing $30 per month, the subscription now costs $360 per year. That’s not the new Xbox 360 that anyone wanted…
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