Microsoft has officially raised the price of Xbox Game Pass, and the changes are sparking one of the biggest debates the service has seen since its launch. Once hailed as “the best deal in gaming”, Game Pass is entering a new era — but at a much steeper cost.
The New Pricing Structure
Starting October 1, 2025, Microsoft has rebranded and reshuffled its subscription tiers:
- Game Pass Essential – $9.99 / £6.99 / €8.99 per month
- Game Pass Premium – $14.99 / £10.99 / €12.99 per month
- Game Pass Ultimate – $29.99 / £22.99 / €26.99 per month
- PC Game Pass – $16.49 / £13.49 / €14.99 per month
Essential and Premium remain at the same price points as the older Core and Standard plans, while Ultimate and PC Game Pass bear the brunt of the hikes. For U.S. players, Ultimate now costs $120 more per year compared to last year’s rate.
What You Get for the Higher Price
Microsoft insists that the increases come with tangible perks. Ultimate subscribers now receive:
- Ubisoft+ Classics at no extra charge
- Fortnite Crew membership (with the Battle Pass and 1,000 V-Bucks monthly)
- More than 75 day-one titles per year — a 50% boost compared to last year
- Xbox Cloud Gaming in 1440p, finally out of beta
- Expanded reward points and discounts, with up to $100 annually back in points
PC Game Pass subscribers also get access to more Ubisoft titles, though without the full Ubisoft+ Classics perks.
Player Reactions: Frustration and Cancelations
The reaction has been swift and divided. Some fans see value in bundling Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ with Ultimate. For others, $30 a month feels excessive — especially when compared to buying a few games outright.
- Many reported canceling subscriptions, with the Xbox membership page crashing from high traffic.
- On IGN’s poll, nearly 45% of readers said they no longer plan to subscribe following the price rise.
- Players in regions like Brazil and Turkey are hit hardest, with price hikes of nearly 100%–165%, despite limited access to new features like 1440p streaming.
One gamer summed it up: paying $360 a year for Ultimate is now the equivalent of buying five full-priced AAA games. If you don’t play at least that many releases annually, the savings vanish.
Why the Price Hike?
Microsoft has cited “expanded catalogs, partner benefits, and upgraded cloud gaming” as justification. But the broader context matters:
- Rising development costs across the industry
- Recent Xbox console and accessory price increases
- Layoffs and restructuring tied to billions spent on AI projects
- Pressure to compete with PlayStation Plus, which may follow suit
See also: All Xbox Game Pass Games in October 2025
Is Xbox Game Pass Still Worth It?
That depends on your gaming habits:
- For hardcore players who dive into day-one launches, Ultimate can still offer solid value. With major releases like Call of Duty, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle included, the math can work in your favor.
- For casual or time-strapped players, $30 a month is tougher to justify. Subscribing only during the months when big games drop may be a smarter approach.
- For PC players, the increase to $16.49 may feel steep given the smaller perk pool.
Game Pass remains one of the most influential services in gaming, but this latest price hike is testing the limits of what players are willing to pay. Microsoft is gambling that added perks outweigh the sticker shock. If not, the backlash and cancelations could reshape the service’s future.
