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Microsoft has announced sweeping changes to its Xbox Game Pass service, including the retirement of Xbox Game Pass for Console in favor of the new Xbox Game Pass Standard tier. Subscribers to all Xbox Game Pass tiers can also expect to pay more for their subscriptions going forward.
As the first reported by Windows Central And later confirmed by Microsoft itself in an FAQ pageThe Xbox Game Pass for console tier is closed to new users and existing subscribers can no longer renew their subscriptions. A new Xbox Game Pass Standard tier is being introduced to replace it. This tier is similar to the base Xbox Game Pass for console tier, but will notably not Day one games are included. Day one games on other tiers will be added to the Standard tier at later dates. It also doesn’t include Xbox Cloud Gaming; you’ll need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to access it. Oddly enough, the PC Game Pass tier will reportedly continue to receive day one releases, unlike its console counterpart.
Another important change that will be coming is a price increase for all Xbox Game Pass tiersXbox Game Pass Core, the most basic tier that offers online play and just over two dozen downloadable games, will increase by $10 per year. PC Game Pass is increasing by $3 per month. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is increasing by $4 per month. Finally, while the Xbox Game Pass Standard tier doesn’t have an official price yet, it has a placeholder price of $14.99 per month, which is $4 more than the Xbox Game Pass console tier it replaces.
These changes may not be all that surprising. With video streaming services raising their own prices and including ad-supported tiers to boost revenue, it’s become increasingly clear that making subscription services profitable is difficult. With Microsoft having spent literally billions on expensive acquisitions in recent years, it has plenty of cash to recoup. With highly anticipated titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launching on Game Pass day one, making it available only to those who pay for the most expensive subscriptions is certainly a way to encourage players to either buy the game outright or pay extra for an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
The price changes are effective July 10, 2024 for new member subscriptions. The Xbox Game Pass Standard tier will be introduced “In the coming months“, according to Microsoft.