Game Pass rethink
- Microsoft appears to be restructuring Game Pass, cutting Ultimate’s price while changing day-one release rules. (vgchartz.com) (x.com) - Reports say Ultimate dropped from $29.99 to $22.99, tied to fewer guaranteed day-one blockbusters. (pcguide.com) (insider-gaming.com) - Fans pushed back about losing immediate access to big releases, and Microsoft is reportedly testing a "pick-your-own-plan" model. (x.com) (vgchartz.com)
Microsoft cut Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 a month and said future Call of Duty games will not join Game Pass at launch. (news.xbox.com, cnbc.com) The change took effect April 21, 2026, and Xbox also lowered PC Game Pass from $16.49 to $13.99 per month, while Premium and Essential tiers remain at their October 2025 prices. (news.xbox.com, pcguide.com) Microsoft said new Call of Duty releases will be added to Game Pass "during the following holiday season (about a year later)" and that existing Call of Duty titles in the library will stay available. (news.xbox.com) Players reacted online after Microsoft framed the price cuts as a response to feedback, with community threads and coverage noting fans upset about losing immediate access to high-profile launches. (kotaku.com, gamespot.com) Reports and internal leaks say Microsoft is testing a "pick‑your‑own‑plan" or "build‑your‑own" model, with back‑end codenames like "Duet" and "Triton" that would let subscribers add or remove features such as cloud streaming. (vgchartz.com, gamespot.com) Game Pass launched June 1, 2017, and Microsoft has since bolstered its first‑party catalogue with deals including the ZeniMax/Bethesda acquisition completed March 9, 2021, and Activision Blizzard closed on October 13, 2023. (en.wikipedia.org, sec.gov, (sec.gov)) Industry analysts warned that Microsoft’s blog post did not confirm whether other big first‑party day‑one releases will still appear on Game Pass, raising questions about how Xbox will use marquee titles to drive subscriptions. (gamespot.com, cnbc.com) Xbox ended its announcement noting the change "responds to a lot of feedback" and adding "we’ll continue to listen and learn," while reports say the company will pilot new subscription options before wider rollout. (news.xbox.com, vgchartz.com)
