Game Pass Ultimate Cut
- Microsoft announced a price cut to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate this week, changing subscription costs for players. - The reduction applies to the Ultimate tier and was posted in official subscription updates this week. - The price change was announced publicly on Xbox/Game Pass channels and discussed in social reports this week (x.com).
Microsoft cut the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $22.99 per month, effective April 21, 2026. (news.xbox.com) Microsoft also lowered PC Game Pass from $16.49 to $13.99 per month and said prices may vary by region. (news.xbox.com) The company said new Call of Duty titles will not join Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch and will be added “during the following holiday season (about a year later),” while existing Call of Duty games remain available. (news.xbox.com) The April cut reverses part of October 2025’s price surge, when Game Pass Ultimate jumped 50% from $19.99 to $29.99 a month. (forbes.com) The move follows an internal memo from Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma, who told staff “short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players,” signaling leadership pressure to rethink value. (gamespot.com) Gamers reacted strongly to last year’s hikes with cancellations and widespread posts on social platforms calling the increases unfair. (polygon.com) Microsoft said existing subscribers should see the lower monthly price on their next billing recurrence from April 22 onward in some regions as the rollout completes. (purexbox.com) Xbox’s announcement reminded subscribers they will still have access to “hundreds of games” on console and PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, in-game benefits and online multiplayer, aside from the Call of Duty timing change. (news.xbox.com) Microsoft closed the post by thanking the community and saying, “We’ll continue to listen and learn,” as the company navigates pricing under new gaming leadership. (news.xbox.com)
