It’s often said that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is—an old adage that definitely rang true for Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. When the Xbox Series X/S hit the shelves, the Game Pass was a deal that felt almost too generous, giving players access to a fantastic library, complete with first-day releases of Microsoft-published games, all for a modest ten dollars a month.
Fast-forward a few years, and although the price had risen, it seemed somewhat justified given the global financial upheaval following the COVID pandemic. By 2023, the Game Pass for consoles had crept up to $11 per month, while the Ultimate version—which included PC games—jumped to $16.99. Despite whispers linking the price hike to Microsoft’s audacious $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition, the increase hovered just below the inflation rate, keeping many subscribers content enough.
Then 2024 rolled around, shaking things up. Come July, subscribers learned that the Game Pass Ultimate would leap from $17 to $20—a striking 18 percent hike, now well above inflation rates. But in a more jarring move, Microsoft axed the budget-friendly $11 console-only option, replacing it with the new Game Pass Standard. Priced at $15, this tier didn’t include those sought-after day-one game releases, effectively marking a near 50 percent price jump for a less appealing service.
For gamers who relied on Game Pass for the whole array of titles and the immediate availability of day-one releases, their monthly cost soared from $11 to $20. With the monumental Activision Blizzard acquisition now finalized, this price surge certainly felt less coincidental.
So here we are in 2024, where Game Pass transformed from being one of the best bargains to a service that leaves a bit of a bitter taste. Surpassing $240 a year without an annual discount, it’s a change that many subscribers understandably dislike. – John Walker
