You know the saying, “if something seems too good to be true, it probably is”? Well, that sentiment perfectly captured the early days of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. When the Xbox Series X/S rolled out, the subscription service seemed like a steal. For just ten bucks a month, gamers could dive into a vast library, complete with day-one releases of games published by Microsoft.
Fast forward a few years, and the economic landscape shifted, triggering changes in many industries worldwide, not least of all gaming. It was 2023 when Game Pass for console jumped to $11, while the all-encompassing Ultimate version, which threw PC games into the mix, nudged up by two dollars to $16.99. Given all that was unfolding globally, this increase seemed pretty reasonable, especially since it just barely kept pace with inflation, even amidst Microsoft’s headline-grabbing $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
But 2024 had a surprise in store. July brought the news that Game Pass Ultimate was shooting up from $17 to a significant $20. That’s a hefty 18 percent hike, vaulting well beyond the inflation rate. The real kicker? Microsoft axed the cheaper $11 console-only option. In its place, a so-called Game Pass Standard emerged, setting you back $15 and, ouch, excluding those day-one releases. Essentially, it was a nearly 50-percent price increase for a watered-down service.
This meant one clear thing for those who enjoyed the complete library and those precious day-one titles: your monthly cost surged from $11 to $20. Many couldn’t help but wonder if the colossal Activision Blizzard merger had somehow influenced this decision.
By the end of 2024, what once felt like an unbeatable bargain in gaming had soured a bit. Gone was the deal gamers had near and dear, replaced by a $240 annual commitment without even the appeal of a discounted annual plan. It left a bad taste in many mouths. – John Walker
