Isn’t it often the case that when something seems a bit too perfect, it usually doesn’t last? That’s exactly the sentiment many gamers had about Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass when the Xbox Series X/S hit the market. For just ten bucks a month, you could dive into a fantastic collection of games, even getting access to titles from Microsoft on their release day.
Fast forward a few years, and we’ve seen the prices creeping up. This hasn’t happened in a vacuum, though—global financial upheavals following the COVID-19 pandemic certainly played their part. In 2023, the price of the Game Pass for console edged up to $11, while the Ultimate version, which includes PC game access, rose a couple of dollars to $16.99. Honestly, it still felt like a solid offer, especially given Microsoft’s jaw-dropping $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The price hikes were pretty much in line with inflation until recently.
But then 2024 rolled around, and things changed. In July, news broke that Game Pass Ultimate was set to jump from $17 to $20—a hefty 18 percent increase, now significantly outpacing inflation. Even worse, Microsoft decided to scrap the budget-friendly $11 console-only tier. In its place, they introduced something called the Game Pass Standard, set at $15. The catch? This new tier no longer featured day-one game releases. Talk about a nearly 50 percent price hike for a downgraded service!
What this boils down to is that, for those of us who relied on Game Pass to enjoy the complete game library and the fresh-off-the-press Microsoft titles, the cost surged from $11 to $20 a month. With that enormous Activision Blizzard deal finally going through, it really started to feel like the shift in pricing was significantly influenced by it.
In 2024, what was once an unbeatable deal became something somewhat begrudged. A whopping $240 annually with no option to save through an annual plan? It’s a tough pill to swallow for avid gamers. And let’s be real—it stings.
