Xbox has reduced the prices of Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass after increasing them a few months ago. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is now $22.99 per month, down from $30, while PC Game Pass now costs $14.99 instead of $16.50. According to a blog post, regional pricing may still apply.
The move follows internal concerns that Game Pass had become too expensive for many players. In a leaked memo last week, Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma said the company needed to improve the value of the service. She also said Game Pass would gradually evolve into a more flexible system, and later shared the same view publicly on X.
In October, Microsoft raised Game Pass Ultimate to $30 per month. That represented a 50 percent increase and the second price rise in 15 months. PC Game Pass also increased by $4.50 per month at that time. The company is now rolling back those higher prices.
“Our players cover a wide breadth of geographies, preferences, and tastes, so while there isn’t a single model that’s best for everyone, this change responds to a lot of feedback we’ve gotten so far,” the Xbox team wrote. “We’ll continue to listen and learn.”
However, the price cuts also bring an important trade-off. New Call of Duty games will no longer be included on Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. They are expected to arrive around a year later during the following holiday season. This would make Call of Duty the only first-party Xbox title not available on Game Pass on release day.
The decision appears intended to increase revenue from one of the gaming industry’s largest franchises. Call of Duty was a major factor in Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard several years ago. Recent annual releases have still sold at full price on PlayStation, while Xbox and PC players were able to access them on launch day through Game Pass. At this stage, there is still no sign of Call of Duty on Switch or Switch 2.
Rumors have suggested that Microsoft could launch a new premium Game Pass tier, or a separate add-on, that would restore day-one access to Call of Duty releases. However, the company has not officially announced any such plans.
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