Today, Microsoft announced a price increase for its Game Pass subscription service. The hike affects all subscription types: the PC Game Pass has risen from $9.99 to $11.99, and the Game Pass Ultimate has jumped from $14.99 to $16.99. However, the most significant impact is felt by console subscribers. Previously, they could enjoy new releases for $9.99, but Microsoft has decided to eliminate this subscription tier altogether. Instead, they now offer the Game Pass Standard for $9.99, which does not include new releases on launch day. Consequently, console gamers must now shell out $16.99 for the Game Pass Ultimate to continue playing new games.
This change comes despite Microsoft’s promise last year that the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard would not affect subscription pricing. Users have expressed significant disappointment regarding the price increase. Many believe that the new subscription prices, especially for console users, are unjustified and not worth the $204 annual cost.
User Reactions
Some users are considering canceling their subscriptions and opting to purchase games on sale, which would cost a comparable amount annually but allow them to own the games without needing a subscription. Others are contemplating switching to torrent trackers:
"I think a lot of people will be upset with Game Pass now – and this sounds like a nightmare for the customer service team. Another ‘smart’ monetization strategy from Microsoft." "Where is the corporate version for businesses?" "Game Pass without day-one releases loses its entire point. Why would people pay $10-15 a month for old games?! I think they will soon remove new releases from Ultimate/PC as well, which will kill this subscription service entirely." "It’s funny that they are afraid to raise the price of PC Game Pass too much because people would just prefer torrents." "PC gamers get new releases for $11.99, while Xbox gamers pay $16.99. Why buy an Xbox at all?" "What happened to Microsoft’s sweet lie that the AB acquisition wouldn’t lead to price hikes?!" "They release one AAA game every six months and want $16.99 a month for it – that’s just laughable." "Another news story in the gaming industry about price increases for games/subscriptions… This is why I prefer torrents." "Microsoft has finally stopped pretending to be a good company and has shown that it will soon start shaking down its users’ wallets hard."
The price increase for Game Pass may result in the service losing a portion of its user base in the near future.
