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Microsoft is preparing to make big changes to Xbox Game Pass, announcing today that it will increase Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $19.99/month in the US while introducing a new Standard tier.
Windows Central was the first to report that the price changes are real and are accompanied by a number of other changes to the service effective September 12, 2024. Here is the full list of price changes.
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – $19.99/month (was $16.99/month)
- PC Game Pass – $11.99/month (was $9.99/month)
- Xbox Game Pass Core (the subscription that only includes online multiplayer and a small selection of games) – $74.99/year instead of $59.99/year, but the monthly subscription will remain at $9.99/month.
Xbox has since confirmed to IGN that these numbers are accurate and that the changes apply to US subscribers.
@JeffGrubb @DestinLegarie @Wario64 I just received this email. I am in Canada.
Xbox Gamepass Ultimate is a step up for me. pic.twitter.com/emQ450o4h5
— Andrew (@DrewM987) July 9, 2024
Additionally, Xbox Game Pass for console will soon no longer accept new users (existing subscribers will be able to continue to subscribe to their existing plans). New subscribers will now be transitioned to a new Xbox Game Pass Standard tier priced at $14.99/month in the US, which includes back-catalog games and multiplayer features, but does not include day-one game releases or Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Finally, Xbox will allow its users to prepay for Xbox Game Pass for the console only for 13 months from the release date. Users who have already paid for more than months will not be affected.
Notably, Xbox just increased Game Pass prices last year, bumping its “Ultimate” price from $14.99/month to $16.99/month, its first price hike since 2017. Rumors have been swirling since May of this year that Xbox is considering an additional price increase, especially given the planned addition of future Call of Duty games on day one of the service following Xbox’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year.
The games division has also made a number of cost-cutting changes in recent months, including closing Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin in May and announcing the layoff of 1,900 staff in January.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior journalist at IGN. Have a story idea for us? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.