Xbox Game Pass Overhaul Sees Price Increases, Day One Games Dropped From Some Tiers
New tier structure for Xbox Game Pass increases prices across the board, creates new Standard option, and does away with Day One new game inclusions for all but the priciest subscription.
Posted 5 months ago
An overhaul of the Xbox Game Pass pricing structure has created new tiers, made existing ones more expensive, and removed Day One launch availability for new first-party games from most current subscription options.
The new tier, Xbox Game Pass Standard, replaces Xbox Game Pass for Console for new members. Existing Xbox Game Pass for Console members retain the old price of $10.99/month, but new members (or those who allow their membership to lapse without automatically renewing) will be moved on to the Standard tier pricing of $14.99/month.
To further complicate matters, the new Standard tier does not include access to Day One games, but the existing Game Pass for Console tier does. These Xbox Game Pass pricing structure changes come into effect from July 10 for new members, and September 12 for existing members. An FAQ for the intricacies and edge cases involved in this bizarre ballet can be found on the Xbox support site.
Elsewhere, Game Pass Core, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Ultimate all see price increases across the board. See below for full details:
- Xbox Game Pass Core – Old price: $59.99/year, New price: $74.99/year (online multiplayer, limited catalog of available titles, no Day One games)
- PC Game Pass – Old price: $9.99/month, New price: $11.99/month (access to Day One games only on PC)
- Xbox Game Pass for Console (existing customers) – stays $10.99/month until September 12, 2024
- Xbox Game Pass Standard (new customers) – now $14.99/month (no Day One games)
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – Old price: $16.99/month, New price: $19.99/month (access to Day One games on PC and console)
The changes come as Microsoft's latest marketing campaign suggests the future for the company is not tying games to its consoles, stating that "you don't need an Xbox to play Xbox" in a new Amazon Fire TV Stick ad this week.
Perhaps this is a sign that the economics of Game Pass have produced some numbers that don't quite add up without the 25% increase across some tiers. The removal of Day One games from what it is now describing as its Standard offering also indicates the direction of travel, and Game Pass Ultimate sales spiking in the aftermath of the announcement – as gamers try to get in the door before the hikes arrive – suggest gamers are not looking forward to the new way.
If you're also looking for a place to pick up some more months of your particular tier (reminder: you can stack years of a subscription consecutively on your account rather than waiting for the renewal date) then a button has been provided below for your convenience.