Joe Hindy / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Microsoft has announced price increases for its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.
- The Ultimate tier will now cost $19.99 a month, while the annual Core plan is getting a price increase too.
- The move comes after streaming services and arch-rival Sony all implemented price hikes in the last 12 months or so.
We’ve seen a variety of streaming services receive price hikes in 2024, but gaming services aren’t immune to this trend either. Sony already announced price increases last year, and it’s now Microsoft’s turn to do the same for Game Pass.
The price hikes — initially reported by Windows Central and confirmed by Microsoft — will see the Game Pass Ultimate tier going from $14.99 to $19.99. This tier still offers games on both PC and console, day-one releases, and cloud gaming.
Don’t want to pay the increased price? Well, we’ve now got an Xbox Game Pass Standard tier for $14.99/month. This is a console-specific plan that still offers online multiplayer and access to hundreds of games but ditches PC Game Pass, day-one releases, and cloud gaming.
Microsoft also confirmed that Game Pass for Console will no longer be available for new subscribers, although existing members can continue to subscribe to it via auto-renewal.
Just want online multiplayer on your Microsoft console? The Xbox Game Pass Core plan is still available but also getting an annual price hike from $59.99 to $74.99. Monthly fees are still pegged at $9.99. Either way, these new prices go into effect from September 12.
Microsoft’s price increases come almost a year after Sony instituted price hikes for its 12-month PlayStation Plus plans, ranging from $20 to $40 more. Netflix, Crunchyroll, Paramount Plus, and Peacock have also instituted price increases in 2024. So we don’t blame you if you start cutting back on some of these subscriptions.
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