Xbox Game Pass has received a significant price adjustment, with the premium Ultimate tier dropping by £6 per month, though this comes with a notable trade-off regarding day-one access to new Call Of Duty titles.
Price Reductions Across Key Tiers
Following widespread criticism of last October's price hikes, Microsoft has partially reversed course. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which provides immediate access to new Xbox-published games at launch, has been reduced from £22.99 to £16.99 monthly. While this represents substantial savings for subscribers, it remains £2 higher than the pre-October price of £14.99.
PC Game Pass has also seen a reduction, falling from £13.49 to £10.99 per month. However, the Essential and Premium tiers remain unchanged at £6.99 and £10.99 respectively, maintaining their limited offerings.
Call Of Duty Day-One Access Removed
The price reduction comes with a significant strategic shift. Beginning this year, new Call Of Duty titles will no longer be available on Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. Instead, they will be added approximately one year later during the holiday season. Existing Call Of Duty games on the service will remain accessible.
This marks a departure from Microsoft's initial promises following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The company's Xbox Wire blog post confirmed the change without elaborating on specific reasons, stating simply that future titles won't join at launch.
Industry Context and Fan Reactions
The price reduction arrives during a period of widespread gaming industry price increases, including PlayStation 5's recent £90 price hike. Microsoft's move represents a rare reversal in an industry trending toward higher costs.
Initial reactions on Xbox-focused forums appear cautiously positive. One Reddit user noted, "Wow they actually did it, fair play to them," while another called it "a win for gamers who voiced our displeasure." However, some fans expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging the reduction while noting the removal of day-one Call Of Duty access.
Strategic Implications
Industry analysts suggest the Call Of Duty decision likely reflects Microsoft's assessment that day-one availability wasn't delivering expected benefits. With the franchise reportedly continuing to lose players even after joining Game Pass, and subscription access potentially cannibalizing sales, the company appears to be recalibrating its approach.
Some fans have suggested Microsoft could further reduce prices by removing additional benefits like Fortnite Crew subscriptions, though the company hasn't indicated plans for additional changes.
The adjustments follow Xbox boss Asha Sharma's recent internal memo acknowledging Game Pass had become too expensive. Sharma, who took over from Phil Spencer in February, appears to be implementing changes aimed at balancing subscriber satisfaction with financial sustainability.
Whether these changes will spark a resurgence in Game Pass subscriptions remains uncertain, but they represent Microsoft's most significant service adjustment since last year's controversial price increases.
