Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Rises to $29.99

Microsoft has announced a significant price adjustment for its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which now costs $29.99 per month, a 50 percent rise from the previous $19.99 rate. Alongside this change, the company is rebranding its subscription tiers and introducing a host of new features aimed at delivering greater value to members.

According to Dustin Blackwell, Microsoft’s director of gaming and platform communications, all three Game Pass plans will now offer expanded game libraries, including PC titles, and unlimited cloud gaming access for Essential and Premium subscribers. For the Ultimate tier, the higher price brings a substantial catalog of more than 400 games, 45 of which are available immediately, among them popular titles like Hogwarts Legacy and several Assassin’s Creed entries. Ultimate subscribers will also receive more than 75 day-one game releases annually, a 50 percent increase over the previous year.

Additional perks bundled with the Ultimate plan include Ubisoft Plus Classics, offering a rotating selection of Ubisoft games across console, PC, and cloud, and starting November 18, Fortnite Crew membership. The latter provides the Fortnite Battle Pass, 1,000 V-bucks monthly, and other exclusive content. Blackwell estimates these additions deliver roughly $28 in extra value each month. Xbox Cloud Gaming is also exiting beta, with 1440p resolution and improved bitrates available exclusively to Ultimate members. Finally, a refreshed rewards program enables subscribers to earn up to $100 annually just by playing games.

The rebranded Xbox Game Pass Premium, priced at $14.99 per month, now includes PC game access and unlimited cloud streaming, features previously limited to the Ultimate tier. Premium members can choose from over 200 games on Xbox and PC, including Diablo IV and Hogwarts Legacy. While day-one releases remain exclusive to Ultimate, Microsoft has committed to adding its own new Xbox-published titles to Premium within a year of launch. In-game perks for titles such as League of Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone are now included, and members can earn up to $50 per year through Microsoft’s rewards program.

At the entry level, Xbox Game Pass Essential replaces the Core plan and retains the $9.99 monthly price. It now offers more than 50 games, up from 25, with support for PC, console, and unlimited cloud streaming. Subscribers can also stream select owned titles, receive in-game benefits from Riot Games, and earn up to $25 annually via the rewards program.

PC Game Pass is also seeing a price increase, moving from $11.99 to $16.49 per month, a nearly 40 percent jump. While this tier will not include Ubisoft Plus Classics, it will gain approximately 50 additional Ubisoft titles and continue offering day-one releases. With PC games now available across Essential and Premium, Microsoft appears to be encouraging PC-only subscribers to consider its multi-platform plans.

Although Essential and Premium pricing remains unchanged in the U.S., adjustments are expected in other markets. All current Core and Standard subscribers will be automatically upgraded to the new Essential and Premium tiers. New subscribers face the updated prices immediately, while existing members will see changes at their next billing cycle.

These updates follow a year of heavy investment in the Game Pass catalog, with Microsoft signing agreements with more than 150 partners. The company also plans to raise Xbox console prices in the U.S. later this week, with the Xbox Series X now $150 more expensive than six months ago. The upcoming Xbox Ally X handheld, developed with Asus, will retail for $999.99.

Blackwell acknowledged that price increases are unwelcome but emphasized that Microsoft is striving to offset them with meaningful new content and features. He noted the company is actively gathering player feedback to better align future offerings with community expectations.

(Source: The Verge)