There are some major changes coming to Game Pass, some of which may already be live by the time you read this article. According to a fresh report from Jez Corden at Windows Central, Microsoft is making sweeping changes to the various Game Pass tiers, their prices, names, and even adding in an entirely new base tier.
First, there will be a new tier added to the Game Pass lineup. This tier will be called "Standard" and will grant Xbox players access to only Xbox back catalogue titles. For $14.99 per month, you will get access to older Game Pass titles as well as access to Xbox Live Gold in order to play online multiplayer games. Xbox Game Pass Standard will not include access to Xbox Cloud gaming, nor it will grant subscribers immediate access to new game releases. This Standard tier will only be available to new users of Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass for Console will be shuttered for new users only. Current Xbox Game Pass for Console subscribers will be allowed to continue their subscriptions as normal. Those with this tier of Xbox Game Pass will continue to get access to new releases plus the back catalogue titles.
Starting on September 12, 2024, Microsoft will let users stack up to only 13 months of subscriptions for Xbox Game Pass for Console at a time. This is important to know for those that use prepaid cards to add months to their subscriptions. For those that have more than 13 months stacked ahead of this date, you will not be impacted by this change.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will not be changed in terms of the content available. This includes access to PC Game Pass, day one releases, the back catalogue games, and Xbox Cloud gaming. However, the price will increase to $19.99 per month from the current $16.99 per month.
PC Game Pass is also getting a price increase from $9.99 per month to $11.99 per month. PC Game Pass will continue to get access to day one releases, same as ever.
Xbox Game Pass Core is the name of Xbox Live Gold, which will simply let you play online multiplayer games. Xbox Game Pass Core has an annual price increase to $74.99 from $59.99. A single monthly subscription remains at $9.99.
All of the price increases are global. There is no region where the prices will not be increased. All new prices will begin on September 12, 2024, giving you about two full months to cancel your subscription if you do not wish to be billed at the higher rate once your current subscription ends.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft says that "the vast majority of users today are already on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate." This suggests that the "vast majority" of Game Pass subscribers have to decide if it's worth keeping their subscription going for an extra $3 per month.
