Xbox Game Pass Price Cut: Ultimate Drops to $22.99, Loses Day-One Call of Duty
Microsoft slashes Game Pass Ultimate to $22.99 monthly but removes day-one Call of Duty access. New CoD titles now arrive a year later, trading immediate access for affordability after subscriber pushback over the previous $29.99 price.
Xbox has announced significant price cuts for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, while simultaneously removing new Call of Duty titles from day-one availability on the service. As reported by Video Games Chronicle, Game Pass Ultimate drops from $29.99 to $22.99 monthly, with PC Game Pass falling from $16.49 to $13.99, effective immediately.
Key Takeaways
- Game Pass Ultimate now costs $22.99 per month, down from $29.99 starting today.
- PC Game Pass drops from $16.49 to $13.99 monthly.
- New Call of Duty games will no longer launch day-one on Game Pass, arriving about a year later.
- Essential and Premium tiers remain unchanged at $9.99 and $14.99 respectively.
- Microsoft lost over $300 million in Call of Duty sales due to Game Pass availability last year.
What This Means for Subscribers
The price cuts represent Microsoft's attempt to address consumer pushback over subscription costs. According to Microsoft's head of gaming Asha Sharma, "Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players... We'll keep learning and evolving Game Pass to better match what matters to players."
However, the trade-off is significant. New Call of Duty games will no longer appear on Game Pass at launch, instead arriving approximately a year later during the holiday season. This policy change affects future titles but won't remove existing Call of Duty games already available on the service.
For UAE gamers, this creates a dilemma. Call of Duty remains hugely popular in the region, and many subscribers likely justified the previous $29.99 price specifically for day-one access to new entries in the franchise.
Why Xbox Made These Changes
Bloomberg reports that Microsoft lost over $300 million in Call of Duty premium sales last year due to Game Pass availability. Black Ops 6, the first Call of Duty to launch day-one on the service, saw launch sales drop more than 60% in some markets despite being the biggest CoD launch in terms of players.
The Game Business editor Christopher Dring notes that Game Pass is "struggling for growth" ahead of major releases like Forza Horizon 6. "This price drop is unlikely to solve that, and I fully expect bigger changes, and perhaps a more flexible service, to follow," he said.
The timing suggests Microsoft is preparing for Forza Horizon 6's May launch while acknowledging that premium Call of Duty sales remain crucial to Activision Blizzard's revenue model following the $68.7 billion acquisition.
Complete Pricing Breakdown
Essential and Premium tiers remain unchanged in this restructuring. Essential continues at $9.99 monthly, offering over 50 games plus online multiplayer. Premium stays at $14.99, providing 200+ games with new first-party titles arriving within 12 months.
The cuts only affect the two highest tiers. Ultimate subscribers get over 400 games, day-one first-party titles (excluding new Call of Duty), cloud streaming, plus Fortnite Crew, EA Play, and Ubisoft+ Classics memberships. PC Game Pass offers a similar library focused exclusively on PC gaming.
These changes follow a 50% price increase just six months ago, when Ultimate jumped from $19.99 to $29.99. Tuesday's reduction doesn't fully reverse that hike but acknowledges the pricing pushed too many potential subscribers away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the new Xbox Game Pass prices?
Game Pass Ultimate now costs $22.99 monthly (down from $29.99), and PC Game Pass costs $13.99 monthly (down from $16.49). Essential and Premium tiers remain unchanged at $9.99 and $14.99 respectively.
Will new Call of Duty games be on Game Pass on launch day?
No, new Call of Duty games will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch. They will be added approximately a year later during the holiday season. Existing CoD games remain available.
Why did Xbox cut Game Pass prices?
According to Microsoft's head of gaming Asha Sharma, Game Pass Ultimate had become "too expensive for too many players." Microsoft also lost over $300 million in Call of Duty premium sales due to Game Pass availability.
When do these changes take effect?
The price cuts are effective immediately as of today. Existing subscribers will see the new pricing on their next billing cycle, while new subscribers can access the reduced rates now.
Are UAE prices different for Game Pass?
Microsoft has not announced UAE-specific pricing. Based on current conversion rates, Ultimate would cost approximately Dhs 84 monthly. UAE subscribers can access these changes through the Xbox Store immediately.
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