Yesterday, Microsoft made an unexpected change: you can no longer redeem reward points towards Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. The reason behind this decision is now clear – a recent price increase. It seems the change was necessary due to the rising costs.
Microsoft explains this price change as part of evolving Game Pass, alongside announced improvements to the service. The previous Core, Standard, and Ultimate levels are being replaced with new Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers.
Although Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is becoming more expensive, gamers now have a wider range of choices when it comes to selecting the Game Pass experience that best suits them.
Xbox Game Pass New Prices And Updates
I’m excited to share the details on the new tiers and pricing! Just so you know, if you’re currently a Core member, you’ll be automatically upgraded to Essential. If you’re a Standard subscriber, you’ll become a Premium member. And for those of us who are already Ultimate members, we’ll stay in the same tier, but there will be a price increase. It’s a bit of a jump, but hopefully the continued benefits will be worth it!
Essential
- Price: $9.99/month
- 50+ games (Playable on PC, Console, & Cloud)
- Unlimited cloud gaming
- In-game benefits (e.g. Riot Games content)
- Online console multiplayer
- Earn up to $25/year in Microsoft Store Rewards
Premium
- Price: $14.99/month
- 200+ games (Playable on PC, Console, & Cloud)
- New Xbox-published games within a year of launch
- Unlimited cloud gaming (with shorter wait times)
- In-game benefits
- Online console multiplayer
- Earn up to $50/year in Store Rewards
Ultimate
- Price: $29.99/month
- 400+ games (Playable on PC, Console, & Cloud)
- 75+ day-one games/year, including all Xbox-published day-one titles
- Ubisoft+ Classics and EA Play included
- Fortnite Crew coming in November
- Best cloud gaming performance (lowest latency, fastest queue)
- In-game benefits
- Online console multiplayer
- Earn up to $100/year in Store Rewards
It’s disappointing for many Xbox enthusiasts, especially since the Xbox is now expanding to other platforms and they’ve been hoping for positive developments. This is also tough for those who depend on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to enjoy new games without spending a lot of money.
Let’s talk about other Xbox happenings. The price for the Xbox ROG Ally X has now been announced, and it’s quite pricey – perhaps even more expensive than you’d expect for a gaming handheld.
A lot of Xbox games were revealed at the Tokyo Game Show that just finished, but it’s worth noting that most – or even all – of these games will also be available on other consoles.
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2025-10-01 18:32