Sometimes, when a deal seems unbelievably sweet, you can’t help but wonder how long it will last. That was certainly the buzz around Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass when the Xbox Series X and S launched. There was an incredible array of games, including brand-new Microsoft-published titles available on day one, all for a mere ten bucks a month.
Over the years, however, the price has steadily climbed. This has occurred alongside the tumultuous economic climate that followed the COVID pandemic. In 2023, the cost of Game Pass for consoles crept up to $11, while the Ultimate version, which also included access to games on PC, rose to $16.99—a couple of dollar hike. Even though Microsoft’s eye-watering $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard was still the talk of the town, the price increase was slightly below the rate of inflation, so it seemed fairly reasonable.
Then along came 2024, and July brought some unwelcome news. Microsoft announced that Game Pass Ultimate would jump from $17 to $20, marking an 18% hike that far surpassed inflation. But that wasn’t all—the more budget-friendly $11 console-only plan was axed. In its place, Microsoft introduced Game Pass Standard at $15, which didn’t include new game releases on launch day. So, essentially, subscribers faced an almost 50% price jump for a less appealing package.
What this really boiled down to was a significant increase for those using Game Pass to access its full library and get their hands on Microsoft games from day one. Their monthly cost leapt from $11 to $20. With the enormous Activision Blizzard acquisition finally completed, it genuinely felt like this development played into the price changes.
By 2024, Game Pass had grown from an unbelievable bargain to something that left a bitter taste in the mouth, climbing to a hefty $240 per year without any annual discounts. It’s a real blow. —John Walker
