Microsoft Hikes Xbox Game Pass Prices, To Launch New Tier Of Game Pass

(RTTNews) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) has announced significant changes to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, set to take effect in the coming months. Starting in September, the prices for all tiers of Xbox Game Pass, including console, Ultimate, and PC, will be increased.

The company also announced that a new Standard tier of Xbox Game Pass, priced at $14.99 per month, is set to launch soon. However, it will not offer day-one games but will provide access to a back catalog similar to EA Access and Xbox Live Gold for multiplayer. Notably, this tier will not include Xbox Cloud gaming at launch.

The Ultimate subscription, which offers access to both console and PC games, will see a price hike of three dollars, rising from $16.99 to $19.99 per month. PC Game Pass subscribers will also experience a $2 increase, with the monthly rate going up from $9.99 to $11.99.

In addition to the price adjustments, there will be changes to the subscription options available. New users will no longer be able to sign up for Xbox Game Pass for Console. Existing Xbox Game Pass for console subscribers will maintain their subscriptions, while new subscribers will have to wait until the introduction of the new Standard subscription, which will come into effect starting July 10th.

Moreover, Microsoft has announced that starting September 12, 2024, users will only be able to stack Xbox Game Pass for Console subscriptions for up to 13 months.

Furthermore, Game Pass Core, previously known as Xbox Game Pass Core, will see an annual price increase to $74.99 but will remain at $9.99 per month.

These price adjustments will come into effect on September 12. It's important to note that the launch date for the Xbox Game Pass Standard tier is yet to be announced.