Microsoft’s Game Pass for PC and Xbox Gets More Expensive

Get ready for some updates to your Xbox Game Pass subscription. Microsoft is introducing a new, more affordable tier called “Game Pass Standard” for console players.

This comes alongside price increases for existing Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions, which take effect on September 12th. The currently available “Game Pass for Console” will be discontinued for new subscribers, but existing users can keep their plans.

Here’s a breakdown of the changes:

• Xbox Game Pass Standard (New): This budget-friendly option lets you play a library of games on your console, but won’t include access to day-one releases or PC/cloud gaming at $15.
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Existing): This all-in-one plan grants access to downloadable and cloud-based games across consoles and PCs, along with a price bump from $17 to $20 per month (US price).
• PC Game Pass (Existing): PC gamers will see their monthly fee rise from $10 to $12 (US price).

For a complete price breakdown by region, you can refer to this PDF.

With Standard, you won’t get access to brand-new games on the day they launch, nor will you have the perks of an EA Play membership. Additionally, this tier doesn’t include cloud gaming – meaning you can’t stream games to your phone or tablet. This also excludes the recently added ability to play on Amazon Fire TV Sticks.

The “Game Pass for Console” subscription is no longer available for new members as of today, July 10th. Existing subscribers with automatic payments will continue to enjoy the service. However, if your payment lapsed, you’ll need to choose between the new “Standard” or existing “Ultimate” plan. Any unused Game Pass for Console codes can still be redeemed.