When it comes to gaming subscription services, Xbox Game Pass used to be a no-brainer, but it’s beginning to resemble the competition.
Xbox Game Pass users’ honeymoon time may soon come to an end. Before, players could access hundreds of games through Microsoft’s gaming subscription package, with day-one releases available for as little as $10. However, price increases and significant new limitations are now in place. Following Windows Central’s initial story, Microsoft formally confirmed the announcement today, leveling the playing field with rival services like PlayStation Plus.
Let’s break the awful news immediately now and pull off the bandage:
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will still include day-one releases, an EA Play membership, and cloud gaming, but it will now cost $19.99 a month instead of $16.99.
The new Xbox Game Pass Standard tier will set you back $14.99. It will have access to the entire Game Pass back catalog but not day-one titles or cloud gaming.
The monthly cost of Xbox Game Pass Core will still be $9.99, but the upfront payment savings for a full year will now be $74.99 rather than $59.99. Xbox Live Gold is essentially rebranded as Game Pass Core, which gives users access to a limited number of free games.
The monthly cost of PC Game Pass, which is incompatible with consoles, is increasing from $9.99 to $11.99. It lacks cloud gaming but offers access to day one releases, just like Game Pass Ultimate.
Xbox Game Pass for Console, which is incompatible with PCs, will no longer be available to new users, although current users will still be able to use it. It still costs $10.99 a month, but you’ll have to sign up for a new plan if you stop receiving automatic payments and let your subscription expire. Current Game Pass for Console codes will continue to function, but as of September 18, you will only be able to add a maximum of 13 months to your plan at a time. Day-one releases are included in the Console Game Pass.
nonetheless, is the only Game Pass package that does not include multiplayer.
In essence, there will be pricing increases, the phase-out of one plan, and the introduction of a new middle-of-the-road plan that will essentially take the place of Game Pass Ultimate’s previous price point. For new members, the new pricing starts today; for existing subscribers, price rises won’t happen until September 12. Additionally, navigating the ecosystem as a whole is a little trickier, and purchasing the incorrect subscription by mistake could prevent you from playing your preferred participating day-one titles when they launch. When Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches in October, I hope Activision Blizzard is prepared to field a lot of confusing calls.
The rival Xbox Game Pass compared to the new one
Since its 2017 launch, Game Pass has emerged as the market leader because to its low prices and Microsoft-published titles, which include titles from the company’s several recent acquisitions. However, given these recent price rises, it might not be as obvious as it formerly was. This is how the new Game Pass compares to its rivals.
Game Pass is easily compared to PlayStation Plus, which has a monthly subscription fee that starts at $9.99 and goes up to $17.99. With its highest tier, PlayStation Plus, offers access to services like game streaming, trials for games not entirely included in the plan, Ubisoft+ Classics, and an extensive library of both retro and current-gen titles. With Game Pass’s revised pricing, PlayStation is no longer the more expensive alternative.
Prime Gaming is a free feature of Amazon Prime, or it may be purchased separately for $8.99 a month. A more modest service, it frequently offers free games and unlocks content in other games. Along with exclusive emoticons on Twitch and other benefits for the social media platform, members can receive a free one-time subscription to a Twitch channel.
While Ubisoft+ and EA Play may be part of other subscription packages, you may also purchase them alone to gain access to hundreds of games from each publisher’s library. The less expensive of the two is EA Play, where you can unlock the library and get early access to some games for as little as $5.99 a month. Playing slightly older games with Ubisoft+ Classics costs $7.99 a month, but accessing newer titles with day-one access costs a whopping $17.99.
With fewer games and a fixed Switch platform, Nintendo Switch Online is a more limited option. It comes with a number of old games, but its main purpose is to enable online play for Switch games. It is the least expensive of the lot, with an annual starting price of $19.99; but, an expansion pack that costs $49.99 will get you games from other systems, such as the Sega Genesis and Nintendo 64.
The mobile equivalents of Xbox Game Pass, Apple Arcade, and Google Play Pass, offer unlimited access to certain titles and do away with microtransactions. Particularly Apple Arcade is renowned for its exclusive games; it served as the original home for hits like as Fantasian. Google Play Pass costs $4.99 a month, while Apple Arcade costs $6.99. a Month,
