Microsoft Reduces Game Pass Prices, Alters Call of Duty Release Strategy
Microsoft has announced immediate price reductions for its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscription tiers. Concurrently, the company has changed the release schedule for future Call of Duty titles on the service, which will no longer be available at launch.
Subscription Price Changes
Effective immediately, Microsoft has reduced the monthly subscription fees for two of its Game Pass plans.
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: The price has decreased from $29.99 to $22.99 per month.
- PC Game Pass: The price has decreased from $16.49 to $13.99 per month.
Microsoft noted that these prices may vary by region.
"Our players cover a wide breadth of geographies, preferences, and tastes, so while there isn’t a single model that’s best for everyone, this change responds to a lot of feedback we’ve gotten so far. We’ll continue to listen and learn."
Background on Pricing
The price reductions follow a series of adjustments to the Game Pass subscription model.
- In October 2025, Microsoft increased the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $19.99 to $29.99 per month and raised PC Game Pass from $11.99 to $16.49 per month. That increase was accompanied by an expanded game catalog and the bundling of other subscription benefits.
- The new, reduced prices are lower than the October 2025 rates but remain higher than the prices that were in effect prior to that increase.
Change to Call of Duty Availability
Alongside the price adjustments, Microsoft has modified how new Call of Duty titles will be added to its subscription services.
- Beginning this year, new Call of Duty games will not be available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass on their launch day.
- Instead, new titles from the franchise will be added to these services approximately one year after their initial release, during the following holiday season.
- Existing Call of Duty titles currently in the Game Pass library will remain available to subscribers.
This policy makes Call of Duty the only first-party Xbox game series that does not launch on Game Pass. There has been speculation about a potential new, higher-tier subscription that could include day-one access to Call of Duty, but Microsoft has not officially announced any such plan.
Company Statements and Context
According to a report by IGN, a leaked memo from Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma stated that "Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation." Sharma later reiterated this sentiment publicly. She succeeded Phil Spencer as head of Xbox earlier in 2025.
Status of Other Services
Other Game Pass subscription tiers, including Game Pass Premium and Game Pass Essential, remain unchanged at their current prices. All tiers that previously included access to Xbox Cloud Gaming will continue to offer that feature.