Xbox Game Pass Loses Purchase Discounts, Adds Rewards Points

Microsoft has officially removed the 10% discount on DLC and in-game currency previously offered to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, replacing it with a new system that grants reward points on purchases. This significant change, which affects downloadable content for titles within the Game Pass library, was confirmed after the Call of Duty community noticed the disappearance of the discount on COD Points and the premium Blackcell battle pass.

The shift became apparent when players realized the benefit was no longer available for Call of Duty items, a valuable perk for fans of the popular franchise. Further investigation revealed the discount removal was not an isolated incident but applied broadly to most individual DLC packs for games available through the subscription service. Microsoft did not announce this specific change when it recently detailed other updates, including a subscription price increase.

In a statement, the company clarified the new policy. Instead of receiving a direct price reduction, Ultimate and Premium subscribers will now earn 10% and 5% back in Microsoft Rewards points, respectively, when they buy select games and add-ons from the Game Pass catalog. It’s important to note that the 20% discount on select base games from the library remains for Ultimate members. Additionally, all Rewards members will accumulate points on general Store purchases, with Premium and Ultimate subscribers earning double and quadruple the points, respectively.

This strategic move appears designed to keep consumer spending within the Xbox ecosystem. By offering points instead of instant savings, Microsoft encourages users to reinvest their earnings on digital gift cards and other store content, effectively circulating funds back into its own platform rather than allowing customers to pocket the cash savings directly.

The elimination of the DLC discount is the latest in a series of contentious updates for Game Pass. The service recently faced backlash after Microsoft announced a substantial price hike for the Ultimate tier, raising the monthly cost from $19.99 to $29.99. This represents an additional $120 expense for subscribers over a full year.

To help justify the increased cost, Microsoft has pointed to several new benefits. The company has committed to increasing the number of day-one game releases to 75 per year. Furthermore, it is adding new partner services, including Ubisoft+ Classics and, starting November 18, the Fortnite Crew subscription. The latter provides the Fortnite Battle Pass and 1,000 V-Bucks each month.

Improvements to the cloud gaming experience were also highlighted. Ultimate subscribers are promised the best streaming quality and shortest wait times, with the Xbox Cloud Gaming service officially exiting its beta phase as part of this upgrade initiative.

The restructuring of subscription tiers adds another layer of consideration for gamers. The new Premium tier will offer new Xbox-published games within a year of their launch, but this explicitly excludes Call of Duty titles. This policy effectively funnels players who want timely access to new Call of Duty releases toward the more expensive Ultimate subscription. With the recent launch of titles like Black Ops 7 at a $70 price point, the combined cost of the subscription and full-price game purchases is leading many fans to carefully reevaluate the service’s value.

Public sentiment, as reflected in a large IGN poll with over 32,000 participants, shows a divided community. A majority, 53.2%, stated they would not subscribe to Game Pass at all following these changes, while 20.7% indicated they would still opt for the Ultimate tier despite the higher price.

(Source: IGN)