Xbox appears to be making ready to boost costs on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, based on emails despatched out to some subscribers in the present day.
A variety of Xbox customers primarily based exterior of the United States started sharing screenshots of emails despatched to them in the present day, which state that starting in September, they are going to be charged an elevated value for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. In Canada, as an illustration, it seems the worth is growing from $18.99/month to $22.99/month.
@JeffGrubb @DestinLegarie @Wario64 Just acquired this electronic mail. I’m in Canada.
Xbox Gamepass Ultimate is growing for me. pic.twitter.com/emQ450o4h5
— Andrew (@DrewM987) July 9, 2024
Following these reviews, Windows Central seems to have confirmed with Microsoft that the pricing modifications are actual, and are coming alongside a variety of different shifts to the service starting September 12, 2024. According to the report, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate goes as much as $19.99/month within the United States (up from $16.99/month beforehand), whereas PC Game Pass goes up from $9.99/month to $11.99/month. Xbox Game Pass Core (the subscription that solely contains on-line multiplayer and a small number of video games) will go as much as $74.99/12 months from $59.99/12 months, however the month-to-month subscription will stay at $9.99/month.
Additionally, Xbox Game Pass for Console will quickly not settle for new customers (present subscribers can proceed their plans). New subscribers will as a substitute be funnelled to Xbox Game Pass “Standard” priced at $14.99/month within the United States, which incorporates again catalog video games and multiplayer capabilities, however doesn’t embrace day-one recreation releases or Xbox Cloud gaming. And lastly, Xbox will solely enable its customers to pre-pay for Xbox Game Pass for Console for as much as 13 months going ahead – customers with extra months than that already paid for won’t be impacted.
All these modifications will go into impact September 12, 2024, and can affect all markets globally. More pricing particulars for various areas are anticipated to be shared quickly.
Notably, Xbox simply raised costs on Game Pass final 12 months, elevating its “Ultimate” value from $14.99/month to $16.99/month in its first value hike since 2017. Rumors have circulated since May of this 12 months that Xbox was pondering a further value improve, particularly given the deliberate addition of future Call of Duty video games day-one to the service following Xbox’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard final 12 months. The gaming arm has additionally been making a variety of cost-cutting modifications in current months, together with shutting down Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin in May, and saying the lay-off of 1,900 employees members in January.
IGN has reached out to Xbox for remark.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a narrative tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
