On Wednesday, October 1, Microsoft unveiled a major revamp of Xbox Game Pass, introducing three distinct plans: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. The company also announced a price increase for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and rebranding of its other plans.
Microsoft announced that it has decided to evolve Game Pass in an effort to offer “more flexibility, choice, and value to all players.”
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Expanded Library and Benefits
The Ultimate plan now costs $29.99 per month, up from $19.99. Dustin Blackwell, director of gaming and platform communications at Microsoft, explained in a briefing with The Verge: “All three new plans now feature bigger game libraries, including PC games across each of the plans.”
Ultimate subscribers will gain access to:
- Over 400 titles globally, including 45 new games added on October 1, such as Hogwarts Legacy
- Over 75 day-one releases per year, 50% more than last year
- Ubisoft+ Classics and, from November 18, Fortnite Crew
- 1440p resolution support and improved game bitrates
- Up to $100 per year in rewards
Xbox Game Pass Premium: Mid-Tier Plan Features
Priced at $14.99 per month, Premium offers:
- Over 200 games on Xbox and PC, including Diablo IV and Hogwarts Legacy
- Unlimited cloud access without requiring an Ultimate subscription
- In-game benefits for titles like League of Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone
- Up to $50 per year through the rewards program
Xbox Game Pass Essential: Entry-Level Plan
The Essential plan costs $9.99 per month and includes:
- Over 50 titles (double the previous Core plan library)
- Unlimited cloud access
- Up to $25 per year in rewards
PC Game Pass: Updates and Price Hike
The PC Game Pass subscription increased from $11.99 to $16.49 per month.
Dustin Blackwell noted: “The only major change for PC Game Pass is that they won’t be getting Ubisoft Plus Classics, but they’ll be getting about 50 additional Ubisoft titles across PC Game Pass.”
How to Cancel Your Xbox Game Pass Subscription
If you want to cancel your Game Pass subscription, you cannot manage it directly on your Xbox. Instead, follow these steps through a web browser:
- Log in to your Microsoft account by clicking the profile icon on Microsoft’s website or visiting account.microsoft.com.
- Click on the Subscriptions tab in the left sidebar.
- In the Game Pass section, click Manage.
- Select Cancel subscription, the last option in the menu.
Depending on your billing cycle, Microsoft may offer a partial refund if you cancel immediately rather than waiting until the end of your billing period. Once confirmed, your subscription will be canceled.
Future Pricing Expectations
Microsoft is also expected to raise the price of Xbox consoles in the US in the coming days, following the updates to Game Pass subscriptions.
The revamped Xbox Game Pass plans aim to provide more options, larger game libraries, and added rewards, making it an attractive choice for casual and hardcore gamers alike.
