GameStop Defies Microsoft, Keeps Game Pass Ultimate at $19.99
▼ Summary
– GameStop is maintaining the original $19.99 price for Game Pass Ultimate, opposing Microsoft’s 50% price increase for the service.
– Microsoft’s Game Pass Ultimate now includes 400 games, Xbox Cloud Streaming, and day-one access to titles like Call of Duty and Ubisoft+ Classics.
– The price hike has angered gamers, though it accompanies new features, raising questions about customer retention.
– GameStop’s strategy may involve absorbing the cost increase or selling existing codes, but its long-term sustainability is uncertain.
– Amazon also offers Game Pass Ultimate at $19.99, providing an alternative for U.S. customers seeking the lower price.
In a bold retail move, GameStop is maintaining its $19.99 price for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, directly challenging Microsoft’s recent decision to raise the subscription cost by fifty percent. This strategy allows customers to purchase one-month memberships for significantly less than the new official rate, with a three-month subscription available for just $59.99. The company announced its commitment to this pricing both online and in its physical stores, generating considerable attention across social media platforms.
Microsoft’s updated pricing structure has sparked frustration within the gaming community. While previous adjustments were attributed to broader economic pressures, the latest increase accompanies tangible additions to the service. It remains uncertain whether these enhancements will justify the higher monthly expense for subscribers in the long run.
The revamped Game Pass now features three distinct tiers: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. The top-tier Ultimate subscription provides access to over 400 games spanning PC, console, and cloud platforms. Subscribers also receive day-one access to more than seventy-five new releases annually, including major titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, High on Life 2, and The Outer Worlds 2. Furthermore, Ultimate now bundles Ubisoft+ Classics, adding popular games such as Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown to its library.
Positioned at $14.99 per month, the Premium tier offers a more limited selection of roughly two hundred games and does not include the same guarantee of launch-day titles. For American consumers seeking alternatives, Amazon also continues to sell one-month Game Pass Ultimate codes at the previous $19.99 price point.
GameStop’s promotional emphasis on price stability raises questions about the long-term viability of this approach. The company may be absorbing the cost difference imposed by Microsoft or could be selling through existing inventory of subscription codes. Either way, this pricing standoff provides a temporary financial reprieve for gamers committed to the Ultimate tier.
Shoppers interested in further savings might explore various hardware promotions, including discounts on SSDs, hard drives, gaming monitors, graphics cards, and processors. These deals can complement subscription savings to create a more affordable overall gaming setup.
(Source: Tom’s Hardware)
