Xbox Game Pass Continues Push to Be Everywhere While Also Pushing Prices Up

Xbox Game Pass Price Hikes and New Tier Announced: Expanding Reach, Increasing Costs

Microsoft has announced price increases for its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, introducing a new tier while simultaneously raising prices across the board. This move reflects Xbox's broader strategy to expand Game Pass' reach beyond traditional consoles.

Price Increases Effective July 10th (New Subscribers) and September 12th (Existing Subscribers):

• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Increasing from $16.99 to $19.99 per month. This tier retains its current features: PC Game Pass, Day One games, back catalog titles, online play, and cloud gaming.

• PC Game Pass: Rising from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, maintaining access to Day One releases, member discounts, the PC game catalog, and EA Play.

• Game Pass Core: Annual price increases to $74.99 (from $59.99), remaining at $9.99 per month.

• Game Pass for Console: Will be unavailable to new subscribers starting July 10, 2024. Existing subscribers can maintain access as long as their subscription doesn't lapse. After September 18th, 2024, the maximum stackable time for Game Pass for Console codes will be 13 months.

Introducing Xbox Game Pass Standard:

A new $14.99 per month tier, Xbox Game Pass Standard, will offer access to a back catalog of games and online play, but excludes Day One games and cloud gaming. Microsoft plans to release more details on its launch date soon.

Xbox's Expanding Strategy:

Microsoft's stated goal is to provide more choice and accessibility. Recent marketing campaigns highlight Game Pass' availability on platforms like Amazon Fire Sticks, emphasizing that an Xbox console isn't required to play. The company intends to continue adding major titles to the service.

While expanding its digital reach, Microsoft has confirmed its commitment to hardware and physical game copies, refuting speculation about an all-digital future.

These price changes and the introduction of a new tier represent a significant shift in Xbox's Game Pass strategy, balancing expansion with increased revenue generation.