Microsoft has officially confirmed big Xbox Game Pass changes after leaks surfaced earlier today. Ultimate is going up by 50%, with new perks and renamed tiers.
Earlier today, a leak from a ResetEra moderator claimed Microsoft was planning some massive changes to shake things up, with new tiers, a price increase, and changes to day-one game access. That rumor quickly gained traction, especially after insider Shinobi602 hinted the price hikes could be even more than expected.
Well, it’s official now. Microsoft has confirmed all of it.
In a new post on Xbox Wire, released earlier today, the company laid out the future of Game Pass, and yes, the Ultimate tier is getting a 50% price increase. Starting today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will cost $29.99/month, up from its previous $19.99 price. That’s a 50% price increase, and it’s the biggest jump the service has seen. This comes alongside a complete restructure of how Game Pass works moving forward.
Below, you can find the new Game Pass tiers, along with the updated pricing:
- Game Pass Essential: $9.99/month
- Game Pass Premium: $14.99/month
- Game Pass Ultimate: $29.99/month ($19.99/month)
- PC Game Pass: $16.49/month ($11.99/month)
What You Get with Each Game Pass Tier
Game Pass Essential is the new entry-level plan. It offers a rotating catalog of around 50+ games that you can play on both console and PC. It also includes online multiplayer, unlimited cloud gaming, and access to in-game perks.
Game Pass Premium sits in the middle, sticking to the current $14.99 price. This one includes over 200 games across console, PC, and cloud. You won’t get Xbox first-party games on day one here, but they’ll show up within a year, except for Call of Duty titles, which are excluded. Premium also includes full cloud streaming, and popular games like Diablo IV and Hogwarts Legacy were just added today.
Game Pass Ultimate, now $29.99, is where Microsoft is packing in the most value, but at the highest cost. You get all day-one titles (Microsoft says around 75 per year), a massive library of 400+ games, Xbox Cloud Gaming (which is now officially out of beta), and new extras like Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics. On paper, it’s a lot, but not everyone will be thrilled about paying $10 more per month.
This is the biggest change Game Pass has seen since it launched. While Microsoft is offering more content and features than ever, it’s clear it wants more players subscribing at the Ultimate tier. If you’re not paying top-tier, you’ll have to wait longer to play new releases, and some games may not show up at all on lower plans.
What do you think about these new Game Pass prices? Will you stick with Ultimate at $29.99, or drop down to Premium or Essential? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
