Microsoft has announced significant price increases for its popular Game Pass subscription service, causing a stir among gamers worldwide. The tech giant, known for its recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard for a whopping $69 billion, revealed that monthly charges for PC Game Pass will rise by £2 to £9.99, while the premium Ultimate service will see a £2 increase to £14.99 per month.
In a move that will shake up the gaming industry, Microsoft is replacing the standard subscription tier on Xbox consoles in September, meaning Xbox gamers will now need to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate to access new games on their release day. This change comes after the announcement in May that the highly anticipated title, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, would be available immediately to Game Pass subscribers.
Analysts view this move as an attempt to disrupt the traditional model of physical game sales, with Game Pass and Sony’s PlayStation Plus service offering a “Netflix for games” experience, allowing players to access a vast library of games for a monthly fee. With around 34 million Game Pass subscribers worldwide, all users will now face higher subscription costs.
The price increases for the UK market are as follows:
– Game Pass Ultimate: Monthly from £12.99 to £14.99
– PC Game Pass: Monthly from £7.99 to £9.99
– Game Pass Core: Annual from £49.99 to £55.99
While new subscribers will immediately experience the new pricing, existing members with recurring fees will see changes in September. Xbox gamers with basic subscriptions on their consoles can keep them until they expire, but will miss out on newly released games and exclusive titles available only to Ultimate subscribers.
Microsoft’s decision to release Call of Duty on Game Pass has raised questions about the company’s financial strategy, with industry experts speculating on potential higher tiers or monetization techniques to offset the cost. With Call of Duty’s massive success, selling over 425 million copies and generating billions in revenue, Microsoft’s move to increase prices and push users towards more expensive tiers seems to be a strategic play in the competitive gaming market.
