After a few years in a console’s life cycle, its common to see dips in price for its older games and hardware, but in 2025, the opposite has been true. The latest culprit of the rising cost of gaming is Xbox Game Pass, which we learned today would be getting new features, but a massive increase in monthly fees. Ultimate, the highest tier of the service, will cost 50 percent more, going from $19.99 a month to $29.99 a month. A breakdown of the new tiers is included below.
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Game Pass Essential (formerly Core)- $9.99 a month
- 50+ games now playable on PC, console, and cloud
- Unlimited Cloud Gaming
- In-game benefits, including for Riot Games
- Online console multiplayer
- Play and earn up to $25 a year in the Store with Rewards
Game Pass Premium (formerly Standard) – $14.99 a month
- 200+ games now playable on PC, console, and cloud
- New Xbox-published games within a year of launch
- Unlimited cloud gaming with shorter wait times
- In-game benefits, including for Riot Games
- Online console multiplayer
- Play and earn up to $50 a year in the Store with Rewards
Game Pass Ultimate – $29.99 a month
- 400+ games now playable on PC, console, and cloud
- 75+ day one games a year, including all Xbox-published games day one
- Ubisoft+ Classics and EA Play included, with Fortnite Crew coming in November
- Unlimited cloud gaming at our best quality, with the shortest wait times
- In-game benefits, including for Riot Games
- Online console multiplayer
- Play and earn up to $100 a year in the Store with Rewards
Xbox justifies the increase with a new lineup of upgrades. An Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription now includes Ubisoft+ Classics (a $7/month fee that includes access to select Ubisoft games) and Fortnite Crew (which offers monthly skins and V-Bucks), along with an upgraded version of Xbox’s cloud gaming service. It also retains its previous benefits, including day 1 releases, a library of 400 games, EA Play, and online gaming.
Lower tiers, however, are relatively unchanged, save for their names: Game Pass Standard is now Game Pass Premium, but remains $14.99 a month, while Game Pass Core, now Game Pass Essential, is still $9.99. New games also come to each service today; you can read that full list here.
Just last year, Game Pass Ultimate increased in price from $16.99 to its current $19.99, and that change was signaled two months in advance – these latest changes go into effect today. This also comes following last week’s news that Xbox’s ROG Ally handhelds will be $599.99 and $999.99, and two weeks after we learned Xbox consoles are getting their second price increase this year.
It’s interesting to see such significant changes coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. A price increase can be a tough adjustment for many users, but it could also mean more value in the long run. Excited to see how this overhaul will enhance the gaming experience!
Absolutely, it’s quite a shift! This price increase could signal that Microsoft is planning to enhance the service with more exclusive titles or features, which might make it worthwhile for gamers in the long run. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out as the console evolves.
You’re right, it does suggest some big changes are on the horizon! With the potential for more exclusive titles and cloud gaming improvements, it’ll be interesting to see how they justify the price hike. Fans will definitely be watching closely!
Absolutely! A price increase often indicates that they’re planning to enhance the service with more exclusive titles or features. It’ll be interesting to see how they balance the cost with added value to keep subscribers engaged.
features or content. It’ll be interesting to see if they add more exclusive titles or improve cloud gaming options with this overhaul. That could really make the price jump feel more justified!
You’re right; the value of Game Pass Ultimate really hinges on those exclusive titles and enhancements. With the price increase, it will be crucial for Microsoft to deliver compelling content to justify the cost. I’m curious to see how they might leverage partnerships to bring in more diverse game offerings as well!
Absolutely, the exclusive titles definitely play a crucial role in retaining subscribers. It will be interesting to see how Microsoft balances the price increase with fresh content to keep gamers engaged. A strong lineup could really make a difference in how users perceive the value.