Microsoft has quietly revealed that it will no longer include day one releases like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in the standard Xbox Game Pass tier amid the service’s price hikes.
First reported by Windows Central And shown on Xbox supportMicrosoft has announced that it is raising the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $16.99 to $19.99 per month in the US. It is also replacing the base $10.99 Xbox Game Pass Console tier with Xbox Game Pass Standard — a $14.99 option that does not include the beloved First Edition feature, “select entries to the Game Pass Ultimate library,” access to EA Play and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and perks, missions, and discounts on games in the Game Pass library.
Microsoft also didn’t commit to eventually bringing these titles to Xbox Game Pass, saying that titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 “may be added to the library at a future date.”
So those who want to play these games at launch, and possibly at all, will have to pay the $19.99 monthly Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription fee once these pricing changes go into effect for new members on July 10, 2024, and for existing members on September 12, 2024.
PC Game Pass will also increase from $9.99 per month to $11.99 per month, while Xbox Game Pass Core will increase from $59.99 to $74.99 per year. However, both will remain at $9.99 per month.
Finally, Microsoft will allow its users to pre-pay for Xbox Game Pass for consoles for up to 13 months in the future only. Users who have already paid for more than 13 months will not be affected.
The price increases will take effect worldwide, with a full list of affected countries and specific changes to local currencies. Available here.
Xbox Game Pass Changes
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – $19.99 per month – Access to the full library of Xbox Game Pass games, PC Game Pass games, EA Play, Day One titles, online multiplayer, member deals and discounts, perks, and cloud gaming.
Xbox Game Pass Standard – $14.99 per month – Access to a limited library of Xbox Game Pass games that do not include Day One titles, plus special offers and discounts for online multiplayer and members. This tier is “coming soon” and not necessarily in conjunction with the September 12, 2024 price increase.
pc game pass – $11.99 per month – PC Game Pass and EA Play games. Microsoft has not clarified whether Day One titles will still be included in this subscription.
Xbox Game Pass Console – $10.99/month for existing subscribers only – Limited library of Xbox games along with member deals and discounts. No longer available for purchase as a new subscriber.
Xbox Game Pass Basic – $9.99 per month – About 25 Xbox Game Pass games, online multiplayer, member deals and discounts.
Microsoft last raised prices on Xbox Game Pass in 2023, raising the Ultimate tier from $14.99 per month to $16.99 per month in its first price increase since 2017. Paying $14.99 per month for Xbox Game Pass therefore nets users a much lower profit than it did just a year ago, with Microsoft essentially removing day one titles, EA Play, cloud gaming, and free perks from the service in that time.
Rumors have been circulating since May 2024 that Xbox is considering an additional price increase, especially in light of 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 gaming arm has also made a number of cost-cutting changes in recent months, including closing Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin in May, and announcing 1,900 layoffs in January.
Rebecca Valentine is a senior reporter at IGN. Have a story tip? Send it to [email protected].
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