At this point, it's almost as if Microsoft wants the Xbox brand to fail.

Microsoft is raising prices once again. On September 19, 2025, the company announced price increases for their lineup of Xbox Series hardware. Today, the company announced yet another substantial price increase for Game Pass subscriptions.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will go from $19.99 per month all the way to $29.99 per month. In an attempt to soften this financial blow, Microsoft announced that Ubisoft+ Classics and Fortnite Crew are now included with Ultimate. With the inclusion of Ubisoft+ Classics, an addition 49 games are now available in Game Pass Ultimate.

Keeping in line with the price increase to Game Pass Ultimate, Microsoft is also raising the price of PC Game Pass subscriptions from $11.99 per month to $16.49 per month.


Today's announcement on Xbox Wire attempts to downplay the price hike by saying Xbox Game Pass Ultimate just received its "biggest upgrade yet." Microsoft claims that access to the Ubisoft+ Classics alone is worth $15.98. Ubisoft+ Classics being a subscription feature from Ubisoft which includes several older catalog titles such as: Multiple Assassin's Creed titles, several Far Cry titles, and hits such as Monopoly, Monopoly Madness, and Skull and Bones.

Microsoft also notes that Fortnite Crew is valued at $11.99 per month. Fortnite Crew gives Fortnite players access to the Battle Pass and 1,000 V-Bucks each month. Fortnite Crew will be added to Game Pass Ultimate starting November 18, 2025.

Xbox Game Pass Standard is now Xbox Game Pass Premium

Microsoft announced other changes to Game Pass tiers today. Taking a page from Sony with their PlayStation Plus naming conventions, Xbox Game Pass Standard will now be called Xbox Game Pass Premium. Despite there not being any price increase for this tier, Microsoft will give Premium subscribers some extra benefits.

Premium subscribers will now have access to over 200 games. This includes some PC titles. "This library, with more than 40 new games available today, is also now playable on PC, including timeless hits like Minecraft, Forza Horizon 5, and Grand Theft Auto 5."

Those on the Premium tier will also now have access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and will have the ability to stream some of the games they already own. Premium subs can now also earn up to $50 worth of points per year through Xbox Rewards.

Xbox Game Pass Core is now Xbox Game Pass Essential

Like with Game Pass Premium, the newly renamed Xbox Game Pass Essential will not see any price increase. Essential subscribers will also now get access to some PC titles, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and the ability to earn up to $25 worth of Rewards points per year.