Microsoft has confirmed sweeping changes to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service ahead of the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in October, including a price increase that will include the removal of day-one releases for its overhauled Basic tier.
As reported Windows CentralThat said, with Microsoft now confirming the details, the first major change to Game Pass comes with the imminent discontinuation of the $10.99/month Xbox Game Pass for consoles. While it will remain available to existing members until their subscription expires (notably, starting September 12, Microsoft will only allow users to stack Game Pass for consoles for up to 13 months), new users looking for a basic-level package will need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Standard, which launches in September.
It costs $14.99/month and includes Xbox Live Gold for multiplayer gaming, as well as access to Xbox’s back catalogue – but, most importantly, no access to first-party releases on day one. That means console players looking to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 via Game Pass when it launches on October 25 will need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
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Ultimate, which will also remain the only Game Pass subscription tier to offer access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, is also getting a price increase, with its monthly cost rising from $16.99 to $19.99. Things are a little different on PC as PC Game Pass will continue to get day one games, but its price is also rising – this time from $9.99/month to $11.99/month.
There’s one additional price hike to note: the annual price of Xbox Game Pass Core (formerly Xbox Live Gold) will increase from $59.99 to $74.99, but its monthly price will remain at $9.99. Recurring billing prices for all Game Pass offerings increase starting September 12, according to Windows Central.
This is all from Microsoft Activision acquires Blizzard for $69 billion last year, and Confirmed in May Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will get a day one Game Pass release when it launches in October. In response to reports that Microsoft “Changes” are planned for Game Pass To take advantage of the arrival of Black Ops 6, the company told Eurogamer At launch the game will be “playable on Xbox and PC for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass for Console members.” And that still appears to be true – although now with an additional cost, and not if you’re a new Xbox Game Pass Standard subscriber.
