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Xbox Game Pass remains one of the best deals in the gaming space, but the situation is getting worse. This week, Microsoft completely changed its pricing structure for its game subscription servicewhich makes everything more expensive and more confusing in equal measure. We’ve seen enough apps and streaming services go down this path to know that it’s a bad sign. Once you start raising prices and restricting common features, you’re already on the path to ensitification.
With just a few emails sent to Game Pass customers, Microsoft has generated a wave of confusion around its new price increase. FAQMicrosoft has struggled to clarify who gets what as part of their new payment system. At the top of the list, Microsoft is completely removing Game Pass for console for all new members who sign up after July 10. Starting that same date, new Game Pass customers will now have to pay more per subscription.
US-based customers who pay for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will see their price increase by $3 to $20 per month. It’ll be $15 more per year if you opted for Game Pass Core. PC Game Pass is going from $10 to $12 per month. There’s a new tier called Xbox Game Pass Standard for $15 per month. But it won’t be available for a while. This tier effectively replaces Game Pass for console.
After September 12, existing members will see the new prices reflected on their monthly bill.
Still confused? We’re not done yet. Microsoft is changing the expectations for what you’ll get based on your subscription tier. Game Pass Ultimate remains the only tier that allows cloud gaming, but if you opt for the cheaper Game Pass Standard option, you won’t be expecting first-party games on day one like the previous Game Pass console tier did. So, remember how Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 coming to Game Pass? If you’re new to Game Pass, you’ll need to pay for PC Game Pass or Ultimate to get it when it releases.
If you still have Game Pass for console or Game Pass for PC, you’ll continue to get day one games. Game Pass Core remains the most basic tier, primarily intended for access to online multiplayer, but Standard seems like a terrible deal compared to what you’re currently getting. Unless you sign up for Ultimate, you won’t get access to day one games on Xbox Series X or Series S.
The new tier structure is ridiculous. It expects new and existing customers to analyze a whole series of points to understand exactly what they’re paying for. You can’t just pay for Game Pass, you have to pay for the right version of Game Pass. Netflix can be decentralize its hierarchical structure removing the Basic subscription while forcing users to use Netflix with ads or Standard, but at least you have access to the same content no matter what. The same can’t be said about Game Pass anymore.
What does this mean for the future of Game Pass?
As a reminder for those in the back row, “enshittification” is a word invented by Cory Doctorow, Technology Blogger to describe how applications and services scam users to benefit the company and investors before inevitably turning around and abusing those same investors. The term has been bandied about a lot in recent years. You can see this with some of the most popular social media apps. If you have had any difficulties with digital concert tickets Or restaurant reservationsyou have experienced the results of ensithification.
Enshittification isn’t inevitable, though it’s constant. Microsoft has been hyping Game Pass for a few years now, so much so that it’s started to feel like its hardware has taken a back seat. At its last big gaming presentation, Microsoft’s big hardware release for the first half of 2024 was a More expensive Xbox Series X with 1TB storage.
According to The Verge Tom Warren Citing anonymous sources, Microsoft is cutting Xbox sales in Europe. We know that the Redmond, Washington tech giant has been trying to put pressure on Game Pass, even hinting that it I would try to get it on competing consoles. Last week, Amazon and Microsoft announced that you can now play cloud gaming titles via a few Fire TV Sticks, meaning you don’t necessarily need a smart TV or computer to access the Xbox app and play the wide selection of streaming titles. Xbox boss Phil Spencer addressed the central theme with the news, Tweeter “No console? Don’t be afraid.”
But all that expansion doesn’t seem to have been enough to recoup any of the $69 billion spent on the Activision Blizzard acquisition. lays off nearly 2,000 employees from its recently purchased studios earlier this year. There was the promise of Call of Duty coming to Game Pass, but now that will be limited based on how much you’re willing to pay Microsoft each month.
Despite all of this, Game Pass is still very, very good. Its cloud service is very smooth, and the selection of titles is one of the best among gaming subscription services. But at $20, it now has to compete with games like Nvidia GeForce Now Ultimatewhich has a claimed higher graphics quality with better bitrates. Game Pass is currently better than Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscription service. The price of PlayStation Plus has also increased in the last year, with Executives blame ‘market conditions’ for the move. Game Pass Ultimate costs $2 more per month than PlayStation Plus Premium.
Streaming services have been steadily increasing their prices. It seems inevitable that Microsoft and Sony will eventually charge players even more for their games. But what if things are worse than that? Game Pass needs a lot more subscribers to be a viable substitute for a pure hardware business and recoup the losses from the Activision Blizzard deal. If Microsoft can’t make those returns, a lower-quality service seems inevitable. As with streaming, the only result is a race to the bottom.