Xbox Game Pass Raising Its Prices Might Make Me Actually Play My Backlog

I’m not happy about the upcoming price hike for Game Pass, as what was once an amazing value for the consumer is becoming a pale shadow of its glory days, but there is one silver lining; I might finally get around to my own personal backlog of games. Everyone who plays video games is different in how they prioritize which games to play, and in what order. Those who have tight budgets, or who grew up in such circumstances, like me, have a harder time not taking finances into consideration when starting a new game, making Game Pass a major factor.

Some people worry Game Pass is killing Xbox, but I have no such concerns, since I’m a consumer who enjoys playing games, not a stockholder with any stake in the success of the Xbox brand. My investment begins and ends with whether Game Pass is a good value for me, my friends, and the gaming community at large, not whether it is sustainable in light of the rising costs of AAA game production. Those AAA costs do factor in when I decide what to play next, however. Knowing a game retails for $70 USD, I’m going to view it differently.

The same rationale for canceling Game Pass could apply to subscribers of PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium, Amazon's Luna+ service, or any other similar gaming subscription plans, all of which take time away from one's own backlog.

At $20 per month, it’s probably time to cancel Game Pass for many subscribers. The cheaper tier that lacks day-one releases is still a solid value, but getting access to brand-new titles is part of what made Game Pass special for many. Looking at the current retail price of a game does impact the gaming choices I make; even though I was more excited about finally playing games in my backlog, like or, I prioritized. I had enjoyed well enough, and was a $70 game then.

Working through shorter games, like action titles instead of expansive RPGs, can help with clearing a backlog, but these are also some of the best titles to play through subscription services like Game