Microsoft is Hiking the Price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Launching a New ‘Standard’ Tier

Microsoft is planning to hike its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate pricing again in September, alongside launching a new “standard” subscription that doesn’t include day-one access to first-party Xbox games. The Xbox maker has started emailing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers warning of a price increase to $19.99 a month that starts on September 12th, a $3 increase over the current $16.99 a month pricing.

PC Game Pass subscribers will also see a price hike in September, with the service moving from $9.99 to $11.99 per month while maintaining access to day-one titles. For those outside the US wondering how the price increases affect their own subscriptions, Microsoft has provided a full list of all the worldwide price changes.

Xbox Game Pass is getting a price hike.

The price increases come just before Microsoft plans to add Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and other big first-party Xbox games to its Game Pass service later this year. The price increases will largely affect Ultimate subscribers who make up the vast majority of Game Pass subscribers and come just over a year after the last Game Pass price hikes raised rates by $1–$2 per month.

Introducing Xbox Game Pass Standard

Alongside the Ultimate and PC Game Pass price hikes, Microsoft will also offer a new option of an Xbox Game Pass Standard subscription without day-one titles, priced at $14.99 per month for new users to the service. The existing Xbox Game Pass for Console subscription will continue for existing subscribers, but new Game Pass subscribers won’t be able to select the console option starting July 10th until the new Game Pass Standard subscription is available. Microsoft says Xbox Game Pass Standard “will be available in the coming months.”

New Xbox Game Pass Standard tier details.

The new standard option also includes online console multiplayer access, which the Xbox Game Pass for Console lacked previously. Existing Xbox Game Pass for Console subscribers will only be able to stack for up to 13 months from September 18th, but this won’t impact existing stacks.

Strategic Move Ahead of Major Additions

Microsoft's decision to increase prices and introduce a new subscription tier comes amid a significant expansion of its Game Pass offerings. The addition of high-profile titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is expected to drive more interest and subscriptions, justifying the price hikes. A price increase to the top tier will help offset the cost of adding Activision’s Call of Duty series to Game Pass, a move that has been largely anticipated since Microsoft made the CoD addition official.

Call of Duty series coming to Game Pass.

Conclusion

The new pricing structure and the introduction of the Xbox Game Pass Standard tier reflect Microsoft's strategy to provide diverse options to its subscribers while managing the costs associated with expanding its game library. As Game Pass continues to grow and evolve, subscribers will need to weigh the benefits of each tier to determine the best fit for their gaming needs.

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