Microsoft recently increased the monthly price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate by 50%, raising it from $20 to $30. However, gamers can still find this subscription at the original $20 rate through various retailers. For example, GameStop has confirmed it will continue to sell Game Pass Ultimate at the former price point for both in-store and online customers, at least for the time being.
The retailer is offering one-month Game Pass Ultimate memberships for $20 or three-month memberships for $60. This current pricing appears to be a promotional offer and is not expected to last indefinitely, suggesting that interested buyers should act promptly. GameStop Pro members, who pay $25 annually, can secure an even better deal, with prices dropping to $19 for one month or $57 for a three-month subscription.
Beyond GameStop, major retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are also continuing to offer Game Pass Ultimate at $20 per month or $60 for three months.
A variety of other online retailers are currently selling one-month Game Pass Ultimate memberships for $20 or even less. Consumers are advised to compare prices from different vendors before committing to Microsoft`s new, higher subscription rate.
Microsoft`s announcement of yet another price increase for Game Pass Ultimate was met with significant negative feedback from the online community. This latest hike followed previous price adjustments for Xbox consoles.
While price increases for subscription services are generally anticipated – as companies often launch with lower prices to attract users and then raise them to monetize their subscriber base – the 50% jump for Game Pass Ultimate was steeper than many had expected. This reaction occurred despite the addition of new perks like Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft+ Classics to the service.
PC Game Pass also experienced a price increase, moving from $12 to $16.50 per month. Similar to Game Pass Ultimate, prepaid codes for PC Game Pass are still available at the former lower price on Amazon. Additionally, Game Pass Core and Game Pass Standard have been rebranded to Game Pass Essential ($10/month) and Game Pass Premium ($15/month) respectively, with no price changes announced for these specific tiers.
Looking to the future, one industry analyst has suggested that Microsoft might consider introducing a lower-priced, ad-supported Game Pass tier to attract even more subscribers. Game Pass already represents a substantial revenue stream for Microsoft, with the company recently disclosing that it surpassed nearly $5 billion in annual revenue for the first time.