When something seems too good to be true, it often is, and that was precisely the feeling many had with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. When the Xbox Series X/S launched, it felt like an incredible bargain. For just ten bucks a month, you could dive into an impressive library, including day-one launches of Microsoft-published games.
As the years rolled by, however, prices crept up, which coincided with significant global financial challenges post-pandemic. By 2023, the Game Pass for consoles rose to $11, while the Ultimate version, providing access to PC games as well, jumped to $16.99. Despite some chatter linking these increases to Microsoft’s enormous $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the increase seemed relatively reasonable, coming in just below the inflation rate.
But then, 2024 hit. In July, news broke that Game Pass Ultimate’s pricing was climbing from $17 to a hefty $20—a spike of around 18 percent, significantly outpacing inflation. Worse yet, Microsoft axed the more wallet-friendly $11 console-only tier. Instead, they rolled out Game Pass Standard, omitting day-one releases and priced at $15. This change meant a steep price jump of nearly 50 percent for a less comprehensive service.
Essentially, anyone using Game Pass to enjoy the entire library, including Microsoft games on their release day, saw their monthly cost soar from $11 to $20. Unlike before, it now felt like the $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition was indeed influencing these changes.
In 2024, what had been a stellar deal morphed into something to grumble about—$240 annually with no option for a discount if you dared to pay upfront. Talk about a downer. – John Walker
