In a staggering move, Microsoft has upped the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription fee by 50%, prompting widespread outrage among gamers. As players grapple with these new costs, retailers are seizing the moment with limited-time discounts on subscriptions amid this chaos.
In the wake of this controversy, online retailers have decided to take advantage of this chaos during Amazon Prime Day and sell off various discounted subscription times for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which we have rounded up for your perusal.
Is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate still worth it even with the price hike?
The horrors of Halloween have come early for Xbox fans in the worst way possible.
Microsoft has raised the monthly subscription fee for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate by 50% so it now costs $29.99 as part of a massive restructuring of the online service, unless you live in certain countries where the price hike has been delayed.
Needless to say, but this announcement has caused a major backlash with legions of players unsubscribing from Xbox Game Pass in droves, and they were already incensed having to put up with Xbox consoles having their prices raised twice this year, thanks to US tariffs.
Like many people, I’m also upset to see the subscription fee for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate hiked to such absurd degrees.
It was such an excellent service that allowed thousands of players to try out hundreds of amazing games before committing to buying them fully, like Lies of P, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and many others.
With this price hike, players with tighter budgets will be forced to switch to the cheaper Xbox Game Pass subscription plans and miss out on tons of games to play that aren’t part of their smaller libraries.
However, there is a chance that Microsoft may backpedal on this decision and restore the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to its original state if the backlash becomes too much for Microsoft to bear.
Until then, and if that happens, I plan to follow my colleague Jez Corden’s game plan and switch from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to PC Game Pass, as it’s the next best option.
Why, you may ask? Because PC Game Pass will grant you the most valuable benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, like day one access to first-party Xbox games, Xbox Game Pass’ full library (including EA Play and Ubisoft+ titles), and the chance to earn $50 Xbox credit a year.
The only major drawback of PC Game Pass is that it lacks multi-platform availability, meaning this service is only locked to Windows PCs and gaming handhelds.
However, it’s a small price compared to paying $29.99 a month for virtually the same benefit (depending on whether you have a powerful rig to run PC games at least).
FAQ
What’s happening to Xbox Game Pass prices?
Microsoft is raising Xbox Game Pass prices. PC Game Pass will jump from $11.99 to $16.49/month, now including Ubisoft+ Classics (40 extra games) and day‑one Xbox Studios titles like Call of Duty, but no cloud gaming.
Game Pass Ultimate climbs from $19.99 to $29.99/month — a 50% hike — with over 75 day‑one games a year, Ubisoft+ Classics, Fortnite Crew perks, and upgraded Xbox Cloud Gaming at 1440p with boosted bitrate and priority access.
When will the price hike take effect?
The new pricing structure is set to roll out soon — locking in a discounted subscription now ensures you pay the current lower rate for the duration of your prepaid time.
Can I stack multiple codes to extend my subscription?
Yes. You can buy multiple three‑month codes and redeem them back‑to‑back to lock in the lower rate for a longer period.
Will my existing subscription be affected?
If you’re already prepaid for months or years ahead, you’ll keep your locked‑in rate until your prepaid time runs out. Any renewals after that will be at the new price.
Is this deal tied to Amazon Prime Day?
While it’s promoted during Prime Day, other major retailers are matching the price — so you don’t need a Prime membership to take advantage.
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