Microsoft has announced a surprising update to its Game Pass subscription plans. The company has reduced the prices of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. However, this comes with a major trade-off for fans of Call of Duty.
The new pricing is effective immediately. It shows a change in Microsoft’s strategy after feedback that Game Pass had become expensive for many users.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now costs $22.99 per month, down from $29.99. This is a price drop of almost 25 percent. PC Game Pass has also received a price cut. It now costs $13.99 per month instead of $16.49, which is around a 15 percent reduction.
Other plans remain unchanged. Xbox Game Pass Essential continues at $9.99 per month, while the Premium plan is still priced at $14.99.
Microsoft says the decision was based on user feedback from different regions and usage patterns. The company mentioned that there is no single pricing model that works for everyone, so this update is aimed at making the service more accessible.
Along with the change in pricing, Microsoft has also confirmed that future Call of Duty games will no longer launch on Game Pass on day one. Earlier, new titles from Activision were being added to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on the same day as their release.
The next Call of Duty game, expected in 2026, will arrive on Game Pass much later, likely during the holiday season after its launch. This means users may have to wait close to a year to play it through the subscription.
The good part is that existing Call of Duty titles already available on Game Pass will remain on the service.
This move shows how the company is trying to balance cost and content. Lower prices will make Game Pass more attractive. At the same time, removing day-one Call of Duty access could disappoint many users who subscribed mainly for big releases. Call of Duty is one of the biggest gaming franchises in the world. Day-one access was a strong reason for many players to choose Game Pass.
Even though Microsoft owns Activision, it has to remove day-one access to protect direct game sales. Since the game was available on Game Pass, very few people were actually buying it.
