Ooof.
Xbox Game Pass will receive huge new changes in September that include price hikes, limited day-one game availability, and restrictions on stacking your subscription duration.
Update: Australian pricing now detailed below.
Game Pass price increases
First, price increases will impact existing tiers of Game Pass accordingly:
- Xbox Game Pass Core: Increase from $79.95 AUD (59.99 USD) per year to $89.95 AUD ($74.99 USD) per year
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Increase $18.95 AUD ($16.99 USD) per month to $22.95 AUD ($19.99 USD) per month
- PC Game Pass: Increase from $10.95 AUD ($9.99 USD) per month to $13.95 ($11.99 USD) per month
A revised tier with lowered benefits
Moreover, Xbox Game Pass as we know it will will become Xbox Game Pass Standard in September, available on Xbox consoles. The tier will cost $15.95 AUD ($14.99 USD) per month and include access to Xbox internet services (ie Xbox Game Pass Core, which provides multiplayer access), but not Xbox Cloud Gaming (which is reserved for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate).
Most importantly, the new tier will not provide day-one access to new Xbox first-party titles. Those wishing to play the latest Call of Duty at launch, as a good example, will need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to do so.
PC Game Pass, despite this change on consoles, will continue to provide day-one access to new titles.
Xbox Game Pass in its current form costs $10.99 USD per month.
Changes to subscription stacking
From 12 September, Microsoft will only allow users to stack Xbox Game Pass subscriptions for up to 13 months. That means new Xbox Game Pass Standard subscriptions will be maxed out with 13 months of stacking, and those on legacy plans will no longer be able to stack subscriptions beyond that 13 month limit.
12th September, Microsoft will only allow users to stack Game Pass for Console for up to 13 months), new users looking for a basic tier package will need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Standard, which launches in September.
Currently, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will allow for subscription stacking, including conversion of Xbox Game Pass or EA Play subscriptions, for a maximum of 36 months.
What do you make of the changes to Xbox Game Pass? Sound off in the comments section, below.
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