Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Hike: What You Need to Know

Microsoft has officially rolled out sweeping changes to its Xbox Game Pass lineup, and the headline is impossible to ignore: the cost of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has surged by 50%. The announcement came through a carefully worded Xbox Wire post titled “Updates to Xbox Game Pass: Introducing Essential, Premium, and Ultimate Plans.” While the name changes sound like simple branding, hidden in the details is one of the biggest price hikes the service has ever seen.

Here’s the new structure.

The entry-level Core plan is now called Essential, priced at $10 in the US (unchanged, though Europe sees €7 rise to €9). The mid-tier Standard plan has been rebranded as Premium, staying at $15 in the US and €13 in Europe. The flagship Ultimate pass remains by name but jumps from $20 to $30 in the US, £15 to £23 in the UK, and €18 to €27 in Europe. The PC Game Pass also climbs from $12 to $16.50 in the US and £10 to £13.50 in the UK, though it holds steady in the EU at €12.

To justify this leap, Microsoft points to significant upgrades and added perks. Ultimate now supports 1440p streaming resolution and promises subscribers access to around 75 day-one releases every year. Beginning mid-November, Ultimate also folds in extras such as Fortnite Crew (valued at $12 per month) and Ubisoft+ Classic (an $8 monthly perk). The library itself continues to grow, with blockbuster hits like Hogwarts Legacy and Diablo IV already included in the package.

For new subscribers, these revised prices are live immediately, while existing members will feel the pinch starting November 4. Microsoft frames this as aligning value with investment: more content, higher resolution, more bonuses. But not everyone is convinced. The backlash online has been sharp, with many players saying this undermines one of Xbox’s biggest strengths – affordability. Others argue that even with the increase, Ultimate still delivers unmatched value compared to buying new games individually, which can cost $70 each.

Still, the shift highlights an unavoidable reality of subscription gaming: you don’t own your titles. Once you stop paying, access disappears. Some gamers worry that costs will continue to escalate, leaving them with nothing tangible for years of subscription fees. Meanwhile, critics note that Xbox Live Gold’s old requirement for paid online play already demonstrated Microsoft’s willingness to squeeze its base. The question now is whether gamers will adapt and stick around, or cancel in protest as some already have. Either way, the Xbox ecosystem just became a lot more expensive.