(Credit: Microsoft)
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After raising prices twice for the Xbox console, Microsoft is also increasing the monthly cost for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 to $29.99 per month.
The company is spinning the 50% price increase for the Ultimate tier as an upgrade. It also quietly increased the PC-only Game Pass plan from $11.99 to $16.49 per month.
In return, subscribers will have access to an expanded catalog of games, which includes over 75 newly released titles per year on the day of their launch for Ultimate subscribers.
“That includes some of the most anticipated upcoming games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, High on Life 2, Keeper, Ninja Gaiden 4, and The Outer Worlds 2,” Microsoft’s Xbox team said in the announcement. “These join a growing library of more than 400 games playable on Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud on supported devices.”
Separately, the standard editions of games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Ninja Gaiden 4, and The Outer Worlds 2 cost $69.99. Studios have been pushing their luck lately with pricing, though Microsoft backtracked on plans to sell Outer Worlds 2 for $79.99.
The pricier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also bundles other subscriptions at no extra cost, including Fortnite Crew starting in November, Ubisoft+ Classics, and EA Play.
An Ultimate account will also support cloud gaming, enabling you to stream titles to a phone, smart TV, and even a VR headset. “Ultimate subscribers exclusively enjoy our best quality streaming and shortest wait times, so it’s easier than ever to jump into your favorite games,” Microsoft said without elaborating.
A final perk is the Rewards Program for Ultimate subscribers, who “can now earn up to $100 per year (100k points globally) in the Store just by playing games.”
Still, the news is causing some gamers to cancel their Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. “At a certain price point, these subscriptions are no better than buying the game yourself,” wrote one user on Reddit. It also appears that the PC-only Game Pass doesn't include as many perks, but subscribers will still receive access to new first-party and third-party games at launch, according to Microsoft's website.
Other gamers are fuming that Microsoft has also changed its policies to block users from redeeming Reward points to pay for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.
(Credit: Xbox)This comes over a year after Microsoft increased the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $16.99 to $19.99.
The company is also rebranding the lower-tier Xbox Game Pass plans. Xbox Game Pass Core is now Game Pass Essential, while Xbox Game Pass Standard has been renamed Game Pass Premium. In some good news, pricing for both plans remains intact at $9.99 per month and $14.99 per month, respectively. Both plans also now work with PC and cloud gaming.