Game Pass has announced major changes to its subscription model that’ll affect subscribers on all tiers. Microsoft’s subscription service for Xbox and PC games, which recently announced its October lineup, has received a mixed reception in recent days. Some hold that it’s still the best deal in gaming, while others question its sustainability.
That’s all about to change: according to Xbox Wire, Game Pass will now splinter off into three different tiers: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. Prices and game libraries for all tiers have been adjusted, and players can now earn rewards to spend in the Microsoft Store just by playing.
Changes will take place beginning today, so don’t forget to check your subscription tier and adjust as needed.
What’s Changing For Game Pass
New Tiers, New Prices, & New Rewards
The headline here is the new subscription tier structure. The table below compares the prices and library sizes of Game Pass Essential, Premium, and Ultimate.
|
Tier |
Price/month |
Games |
|---|---|---|
|
Essential |
$9.99 |
50+ |
|
Premium |
$14.99 |
200+ |
|
Ultimate |
$29.99 |
400+ |
Crucially, this means the PC-exclusive tier of Game Pass’ old model is no more. This tier previously offered a huge library of PC games, including day-one releases, for just $11.99 a month.
Now, though, all three Game Pass tiers are available on all platforms: Cloud, PC, and Console. the only difference, then, is what each of them includes.
The Essential tier is the smallest and most modestly priced. It’s essentially equivalent to the old Game Pass model’s Core tier, with just over 50 games — no day-one releases. However, Essential now includes Cloud streaming and in-game benefits, and also allows players to earn up to $25 worth of Microsoft Store rewards per year.
Premium is the next step up, with over 200 games included. No day-one releases will be included in Premium, but subscribers will get Xbox-published games within a year of launch. Premium subscribers will see shorter wait times for Cloud gaming, along with the same in-game benefits as Essential subscribers, but with a rewards limit of $50 per year.
Finally, there’s Ultimate, the only tier to survive the transition to Game Pass’ new model, albeit not without substantial change. Ultimate comes with over 400 games, including 75 day-one releases per year. That includes all first-party Xbox releases. Ubisoft+ Classics and EA Play subscriptions are included, and Fortnite Crew subscriptions will arrive in November.
Ultimate subscribers experience the shortest wait times for Cloud gaming, and can stream at resolutions up to 1440p. They get the same in-game benefits as everyone else, and can earn up to $100 in Microsoft Store rewards per year.
Game Pass’ New Structure Is A Mixed Bag
Flashy Upgrades Hide A Price Hike
Microsoft’s official news source Xbox Wire frames this as a positive for subscribers, the program’s “biggest upgrade yet.” But I’m not totally convinced. This is effectively a hidden price hike for Game Pass, hidden within a new three-tier structure.
Core subscribers will be largely unaffected, but PC-tier players will be forced to upgrade to Premium or downgrade to Essential — and Ultimate subscribers will need to pay a whopping $10 more per month to stay on the plan.
As a current Ultimate subscriber, all the things I value about Game Pass currently (Cloud streaming and day-one releases like Hollow Knight: Silksong) have either been funneled into the new, higher-priced version of Ultimate, or so significantly downgraded in the lower tiers that they may no longer be worth it.
In my opinion, Game Pass’ new features don’t make up for the price hike, either. I don’t typically spend money in the Microsoft Store beyond my Game Pass subscription, so $100 worth of rewards would likely sit in my account unused. I don’t do Cloud streaming in 1440p, because I typically do it on my tiny Steam Deck screen. And the included Fortnite Crew subscription is wasted on anyone who doesn’t regularly play Fortnite.
These benefits are likely worth the higher price tag for some players, but personally, I’m questioning the value of my Game Pass subscription after this announcement. I don’t think this is the final nail in the coffin for Game Pass, but I’m afraid the service is alienating a portion of its player base.