Microsoft took many by surprise with its price hike for Game Pass Ultimate, which now costs $29.99 monthly. It also eliminated subscriber discounts for add-ons and DLC, including the premium currency, Call of Duty Points.
With several premium titles in October and November, it makes sense for Microsoft to want the maximum possible revenue. However, Bloomberg’s Cecilia D’Anastasio reports that the service still hasn’t generated the desired revenue. Furthermore, titles on the service have allegedly begun “cutting into sales of higher-margin games like Call of Duty.”
A former employee revealed that Xbox reportedly sacrificed over $300 million in console and PC sales last year for Call of Duty. Before Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches in November, these Game Pass changes could mark the company doing everything possible to limit revenue losses without backtracking on day one access.
Of course, that includes Game Pass Premium subscribers no longer receiving new Call of Duty titles on day one of their release. Other Xbox-published titles will arrive on the service within a year.
With extensive backlash to the pricing, it remains to be seen how Microsoft will respond. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches on November 14th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC. The beta is currently live on all platforms.
This is an interesting development in the gaming industry. It’s intriguing to see how pricing strategies can impact sales and player perceptions. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out for Xbox and its players.