The introduction of Xbox Game Pass in 2017 stands as one of the most important moments in Microsoft's history, with the subscription service growing exponentially over the years to cover PC, Cloud streaming, and more. All the while, it changed how a lot of major content is delivered across the gaming industry. While Xbox Game Pass is incredibly popular, this has not stopped controversy from surrounding the service every once in a while.
While the core premise of Xbox Game Pass is based on the money-saving impact it can have for subscribers, the service has experienced several price increases over the years. There is a predictable and understandable wave of disappointment from subscribers. Of course, there are plenty of industry factors that can justify these price hikes, but at the end of the day, these are people's wallets being impacted. Now, some recently uncovered information on the official Xbox website appears to say that Game Pass will soon be facing another price increase.
Best Crossplay Games On Xbox Game Pass To Play Right Now
These great Xbox Game Pass games support cross-platform multiplayer, granting players access to PS5 and PC players.
The Rumored Xbox Game Pass Price Increase Almost Seems Inevitable
These rumors stem from uncovered strings of code that currently exist within the official Xbox website, specifically code that sets up an upcoming notification for a "subscription price increase" that will seemingly go live in the near future. Nothing has been discovered regarding the cost of this increase, when this increase is going live, or if this increase is going live. After all, this could be a future-proofed code for whenever it does happen, but the fact that a notification is needed would imply that a price increase is coming. It could, in theory, be something else entirely.
Of course, it seems extremely likely that the notification is tied to an Xbox Game Pass price increase happening soon. The service has already faced several incremental price increases since its inception in 2017. Interestingly, the last price increase for Xbox Game Pass came almost exactly a year ago for new subscribers in June 2024, with the following price changes being implemented:
- Xbox Game Pass Core annual subscription was raised from $59.99 to $74.99.
- PC Game Pass monthly subscription was raised from $9.99 to $11.99.
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate monthly subscription was raised from $16.99 to $19.99.
- Xbox Game Pass Standard was introduced as a new tier at $14.99 per month.
The Xbox platform has become defined by the growing presence of Game Pass, with the monthly subscription service currently offering players access to over 400 games on consoles alone. More specifically, it seems that Game Pass has become the place for Microsoft to bear the fruits of its acquisitions. Its record-setting $69 billion takeover of Activision saw the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 come to Game Pass as a day-one addition. Fans can expect bigger games on the service in the future as well.
Other recent and upcoming titles like Doom: The Dark Ages, Oblivion Remastered, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4, and Gears of War: Reloaded are also day-one Game Pass titles.
It is reported that Xbox Game Pass currently has over 35 million active subscribers, echoing just how successful and revolutionary the system has been for Microsoft. However, this addition also means that a huge number of players are set to be directly impacted by the rumored price increase, if it happens.
The Writing Has Been on the Wall for an Xbox Game Pass Price Hike
It remains to be seen what another round of price increases for Game Pass will look like exactly, but it is safe to assume that the changes may look somewhat similar to 2024's price jumps. The rumors about an impending price change to Xbox Game Pass are only strengthened by the recent major cost increases seen across other Xbox hardware, with all Xbox series X/S consoles, controllers, and headsets getting significant price bumps in May 2025.
More recently, a lot of discussion has been had around the future price of Xbox titles, with The Outer Worlds 2 setting a new standard for future AAA Xbox releases with its $79.99 base-level price tag. This $80 price tag for new releases has been echoed elsewhere in the industry, with Xbox seemingly following suit on Nintendo's pricing for titles like Mario Kart World for the Switch 2, which itself has drawn a lot of criticism. While the rumored Xbox Game Pass price increase is not confirmed, it is clear to see why some fans are already worried about the prospect of the service becoming even more expensive in the not-so-distant future.
