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- Fans have been highly concerned about Microsoft’s recent Xbox Game Pass price hike.
- I still think that the service has a lot of value to offer, even if the price is now higher than before.
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate remains a steal as it still offers day-one AAA releases that would otherwise cost $70.
Fans have been stressing a lot over the Game Pass price hike recently. It was pretty much obvious that Call of Duty coming to the subscription service would have its consequences. Still, nobody saw it coming, even though the writing was on the wall.
In my opinion, fans shouldn’t worry, as Game Pass Ultimate is still a solid deal. It costs $19.99/month, which is not too bad for a service that brings you day-one AAA games and a massive catalog of existing titles. Even after the price hike, I think the service is a steal.
Why it matters: Fans rushed over to CDKeys as soon as they heard that a price hike was coming. In my opinion, there’s reason to still consider the service despite the new price.
Ultimate Tier Still A Great Deal
Xbox has already been hinting that all tiers will not get similar treatment. It was previously revealed that Black Ops 6 wouldn’t be fully playable on each tier. To fully enjoy Black Ops 6, you must get the Ultimate tier, which costs $20/month.
Also, you won’t be getting day one releases on every tier, so if you want to play AAA releases on day one, you would have to go for the Ultimate tier or pay full price for the game. The previous Xbox showcase featured around 30 games, 18 of which are coming to Game Pass.
If you ask me, this is still an absolutely crazy deal. Do you think PlayStation can do a similar thing? Because I don’t. PlayStation releases its AAA titles on PS Plus after a long time, and its monthly offerings are not nearly as great. PS Plus Premium also costs $18 a month.
On the other hand, Game Pass Ultimate offers many more benefits to consumers. Besides the day-one titles, you get a huge catalog that is already available on the service. Moreover, cloud gaming and access to EA Play are other huge perks.
With Modern Warfare 3 now on the service, you’re getting one of the biggest multiplayer titles at no additional cost. This is something that’s never happened before and highlights why the service is such a great deal.
Fans Are Concerned Over Nothing
Price hikes in the industry are never welcome, and I completely agree. Everything is seemingly getting more expensive, but technology has also made significant strides in recent years. Alan Wake 2 and Hellblade 2 are recent examples of this.
These titles show impeccable production values, but this comes at a cost. Because of the new tiers, the subscription’s value may not be immediately apparent. The FTC may think Game Pass has been degraded, but I disagree.
Game Pass Standard is designed for the average Call of Duty and Fifa player who spends most of his time on just a few titles throughout the year. In addition to multiplayer access, Microsoft throws in a huge catalog of games as an added benefit.
Sure, it’s a shame Game Pass Standard subscribers don’t get day-one titles, but everything that is already included should not be taken lightly. Even the $18 PS Plus Premium offers a similar value proposition.
As for Game Pass Ultimate, its value speaks for itself. You won’t find this type of service anywhere else, and things will only get better from here.
The Future Is Even More Promising
The previous Xbox Showcase featured many great games, and a huge chunk of those will be available on the subscription service from day one. Imagine gaining access to Doom: The Dark Ages, Fable, next year’s Call of Duty, and more for just $20/month. I’m already sold.
Gamescom will be another major event that comes with various big reveals. At the same time, Xbox will continue to offer big third-party releases on the service that allow users to extract further value.
The same service gave us gems like Lies of P last year and Persona 3 Reload in 2024 at no additional cost. I have no doubt that this trend will continue in 2025. Analysts believe more price hikes are also coming, but for now, I’m content with everything Xbox is doing.
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[News Editor]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over three years because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.
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