When something seems almost too perfect to believe, chances are it’s not going to last. That was the sense many gamers got around Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, particularly during the introduction of the Xbox Series X/S. It felt like an incredible offer: a vast library, featuring Microsoft titles available right on release day, all for just ten bucks a month.
Over time, however, the prices have begun to inch upwards, a move mirrored by the economic upheavals following the COVID-19 pandemic. As we reached 2023, Game Pass for consoles saw its price tick up to $11, and the more comprehensive Ultimate version, which included PC games, went to $16.99. Despite conversations linking these increases to Microsoft’s staggering $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the changes were reasonably justifiable when compared to inflation rates.
Then 2024 rolled in. By July, Microsoft announced another bump in the Ultimate subscription price, climbing from $17 to a hefty $20—a sharp 18 percent hike that’s well above inflation. But what stung the most was the simultaneous scrapping of the $11 console-only plan. In its place, a new option called Game Pass Standard emerged, priced at $15, yet it no longer featured day-one game releases. This change translated to nearly a 50 percent increase in cost for a lesser service.
For those who relied on Game Pass to explore the full catalog and play new Microsoft games as they launched, this move effectively pushed their monthly fee from $11 straight to $20. With the monumental Activision Blizzard acquisition now complete, it finally felt like the financial burden was being shouldered by the consumers.
The year 2024 marked a shift from Game Pass being a fantastic bargain to something to grumble about, tallying up to $240 a year without the luxury of an annual discount. It’s truly disappointing. – John Walker
