Xbox Game Pass is getting price increases and a ‘Standard’ tier with no day-one releases

Microsoft is raising the price of Xbox Game Pass and introducing a new subscription tier that does not include day one releases.

From July 10, the platform holder’s top Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier – which includes PC Game Pass, day one games, a back catalogue, and cloud gaming – will increase in price to $19.99 / £14.99 / €17.99 per month (up from $16.99 / £12.99 / €14.99).

PC Game Pass will also increase in price to $11.99 / £9.99 / €11.99, Microsoft announced on Tuesday, and include all current benefits.

Significantly, Microsoft said that from this week, it will retire its Xbox Game Pass for the Console tier for new users. This will be replaced with a new $14.99 “Standard” tier which will include access to a back catalogue of games, but no day-one releases or cloud gaming.

Users currently subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for Console will be allowed to maintain their subscription, Microsoft said, including access to day one games.

If at any time these users turn off their automatic payment renewal and their membership lapses, they will no longer have access to Game Pass for Console and will need to join one of the other plans, it said.

From September 12, Microsoft will only allow users to stack Xbox Game Pass for Console users for up to 13 months, which will continue to function, it said.

Xbox Game Pass Core (Xbox Live Gold multiplayer) will receive an annual price increase to $74.99 from $59.99, but will remain $9.99 per month.

More to follow…