A Pricey Upgrade Ahead of Call of Duty Black Ops 7
Microsoft is shaking up Xbox Game Pass once again, and this time it comes with a significant price hike. The Ultimate tier, previously priced at 20 dollars a month, is now set at 30 dollars. The change lands just weeks before the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 7, one of the biggest launches of the year, signaling Microsoft’s push to make Game Pass an even more central part of its gaming ecosystem.
New Plans and Pricing Explained
Starting October 1, Game Pass is rolling out under three core tiers: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. The long-standing Core and Standard tiers have been retired, with members being shifted to the new plans automatically. Essential is priced at 10 dollars and offers multiplayer support, cloud gaming, and access to over 50 titles. Premium sits at 15 dollars and boasts a library of more than 200 games across console and PC, though it does not include day-one Call of Duty releases. Ultimate, now at 30 dollars, promises the most comprehensive package.
What You Get with Ultimate
The Ultimate tier justifies its higher price by including more day-one releases than ever, alongside extras like Fortnite Crew and Ubisoft Plus Classics. Fortnite Crew alone typically costs 12 dollars per month, providing the Fortnite battle pass, 1,000 V-Bucks, and cosmetic items. Ubisoft Plus Classics adds another collection of blockbuster titles. On top of that, Xbox Cloud Gaming is no longer in beta and now supports streaming quality up to 1440p with faster load times and shorter queues. Subscribers also benefit from expanded Rewards perks, with bonus points and discounts on select purchases.
Premium and Essential Stay Affordable
While Ultimate sees the biggest price jump, Microsoft has kept Essential and Premium stable. Essential remains at 10 dollars while Premium continues at 15 dollars with a growing library that now includes titles like Diablo 4 and Hogwarts Legacy. Importantly, Premium members get Microsoft first-party titles within a year of launch, though Call of Duty remains exclusive to Ultimate. PC Game Pass has also quietly increased to 16.50 dollars a month, but still delivers day-one access to Call of Duty titles and other Microsoft exclusives.
What This Means for Gamers
The rise in price will undoubtedly sting for long-time Ultimate users, especially with a 50 percent increase in cost. However, the additional perks make Game Pass Ultimate a much larger bundle than before, aimed at heavy users who want the full Microsoft ecosystem in one place. Casual gamers still have options through Essential and Premium, while PC players can access day-one releases at a slightly lower cost.
As Microsoft continues to evolve its subscription model, Game Pass remains a cornerstone of its strategy, and with Black Ops 7 arriving soon, the company is betting that players will stick around for the extra value.
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