Xbox Game Pass Users Warned About “Brutal” New Changes

Xbox Game Pass has made several changes lately that subscribers on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PC will feel in their wallets. Since it launched back in 2017, Xbox Game Pass as an offering has evolved substantially. It has been expanded and improved, but this has come at a price. Back in July, Microsoft relayed word a new tier of Xbox Game Pass alongside word of another price increase, likely to subsidize the addition of Activision-Blizzard games. Yesterday, those changes came into effect, as did some other changes aimed at closing various loopholes subscribers have used to maintain an active Xbox Game Pass subscription on the cheap. 

First, the new tier and price changes. As of yesterday, there is a new tier of Xbox Game Pass called the “Standard” tier. This is replacing the previous standard tier of Xbox Game Pass on console. The difference is this new tier won’t include day one games. These games may be added eventually, but there is no promise of this and no day one. 

Not only did the basic tier get worse, but more expensive. Previously, it was $10.99 a month, now it is $14.99 a month. Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate went from $16.99 to $19.99. PC Game Pass from $9.99 to $11.99. And then Xbox Game Pass Core, which is only available to purchase in 12-month form, went from $59.99 to $74.99. 

There is more bad news though. There is also conversation rate changes. More specifically, Game Pass Core to Game Pass Ultimate isn’t 3:2 like it was previously for non-active subs. Rather it is 2:1. Over on Reddit, Xbox users are unsurprisngly not thrilled with this change, with some calling it “brutal.” 

In the span of one week, Xbox Game Pass increased in price and decreased in value. For some, Xbox Game Pass Standard subscribers, the dip in value is signifgant. If this wasn’t bad enough, the conversation rate is no worse as well, hitting some subscribers in the wallet a second time. 

Unfortunately, once changes like this are made, they are never reverted. Subscription prices never decrease over time, just increase. Meanwhile, the conversion rate changes suggests Microsoft is interested in closing all loopholes and ways to save big on an Xbox Game Pass subscription. And now subscribers must pay $20 for day one games where at one point they paid $10. Only time will tell if this extra money will offset what will no doubt be less interest in the subscription going forward. 

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