Microsoft defends Xbox Game Pass price increase as new ads infuriate fans

The changes to Xbox Game Pass have hit Call Of Duty players in an unexpected way, as Microsoft tries to defend the price increase.

Microsoft’s revamp of Xbox Game Pass has sparked outrage among many players, after the highest tier – the only one to offer first party games on day one – went up in price by 50%.

The company has tried to sweeten the bad news with the addition of Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew, and improved streaming on Xbox Cloud Gaming for Ultimate subscribers, but based on the initial reaction, it hasn’t gone down well.

Despite the negativity, Microsoft has gone on the defensive over the changes – by awkwardly pushing the benefits through a full screen advert on Xbox consoles.

Xbox Series X/S players are now being greeted with a splash screen advertising the new additions to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate when you boot up the console – just a day after the changes were announced.

The advert is targeted at current Ultimate subscribers (so doesn’t appear if you’re not one) with a line highlighting how the price increase will come into effect from November 4 in ‘applicable regions’ for those who already have a subscription.

Crucially, it doesn’t state the new price anywhere on the advert and only lists the perks, with options to ‘view my plan’, ‘explore more’, or get rid of the ad via the ‘got it’ option.

Dustin Blackwell, director of gaming and platform communications at Microsoft, has also tried to emphasise the benefits when addressing the price increase in a press briefing.

‘We understand price increases are never fun for anybody, but we’re trying to reinforce by adding more value to these plans as well,’ Blackwell told The Verge. ‘It’s something we don’t take lightly, and we’re listening to the feedback of players and the community to try to provide them with more of what they’re asking for.’

While the price for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has gone up to £22.99 from £14.99 per month, it’s worth noting that the other two revamped tiers, Essential and Premium, have stayed the same at £6.99 and £10.99, respectively.

Microsoft might be highlighting the perks, but Xbox players are slowly discovering other drawbacks after the revamp. As highlighted by CharlieIntel on X, Xbox has seemingly removed the 10% discount Ultimate subscribers used to get on Call Of Duty add-ons, including Call Of Duty Points and BlackCell bundles.

It’s a minor point in the grand scheme, but it feels like another chip against the value proposition of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at large – which has gone from one of the best deals in gaming to a far more costly, and questionable, proposition.

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