Xbox cuts day-one Game Pass releases for cheapest tier, adds Game Pass Standard and raises price – here’s what you need to know – WGB

According to rumors earlier this year, Xbox has begun making sweeping changes to its subscription service. The biggest change is that day-one launches of Xbox-exclusive games will only be available to those who pay the highest price.

This news isn’t a shock, as most of us already assumed Microsoft would increase prices to help reduce the cost of adding Call of Duty to the service. As it stands, it’s likely to cost a lot of money to run Game Pass on Xbox, and it’s widely believed to be unprofitable. While the service’s price has increased before, it’s still cheap for the average consumer to get instant access to hundreds of great games. By far the biggest advantage is that subscribers can play the latest Xbox exclusive games at a low price. For example, just last year you could buy Starfield for $70, or you could buy a month of Xbox Game Pass for console and play it for $10.

So, what is changing?

First, game pass core, which lets you play games online and grants access to a small library of curated games, will remain priced at £6.99/$9.99 per month. The annual price rises from £49.99/$59.99 to £55.99/$74.99, which is quite a jump.

Console version of Xbox Game Pass will no longer be an option for new customers. However, current subscribers will be able to continue their subscription, which includes day one Xbox exclusive games. Starting September 12, Microsoft will only allow Xbox Game Pass for Console users to accumulate up to 13 months of subscriptions. After this, Xbox Game Pass for Console may be phased out entirely.

Starting in September, a new level called Game Pass Standard will be introduced and spent $14.99 per month. No other pricing details were disclosed. This will include Xbox’s vast back catalog of games, but it will no longer give players instant access to new exclusives on day one. However, it will include Game Pass Core So people can play games online, unlike Xbox Game Pass for Console requires people to subscribe to Game Pass Core separately in order to play multiplayer games.

This new standard plan will be rolled out “in the coming months” before Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches in October.

computer game pass Prices will also rise, from £7.99/$9.99 per month £9.99/$11.99 per month. However, unlike the console version of Game Pass, PC Game Pass will retain access to day-one Xbox games, meaning PC gamers will be able to play the latest Call of Duty for free on launch day.

If you’re wondering why PC players seem to be getting a better deal, it’s because console players have to pay extra to play multiplayer games, while PC players don’t.

So what do you do if you play games on your console and want to get all the latest Xbox games as soon as they launch? Well, you need ultimate game pass It will continue to bundle PC Game Pass, Console Game Pass, Day One Games, EA Play, and cloud streaming. In other words, the benefit is ultimate game pass No change. But the price will rise from £12.99/$16.99 to £14.99/$19.99 per month.

“Some games available on day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will not be immediately available through Xbox Game Pass Standard and may be added to the library in the future,” says Microsoft’s official support page.

All these price increases will take effect on September 12, 2024.