Xbox cuts Game Pass prices
Microsoft is reducing prices for its Xbox Game Pass tiers in a move that will also have a major impact on how Call of Duty title are added to the platform.
Microsoft has announced price cuts for its Xbox Game Pass tiers, alongside a major shift in how new Call of Duty titles are added to the platform.
Game Pass Ultimate will now cost $22.99 / £16.99 per month, down from $29.99 / £22.99, while PC Game Pass drops to $13.99 / £10.99 from $16.49 / £13.49.
However, the price reduction comes with a significant change: new Call of Duty releases will no longer launch on the service day one.
Instead, upcoming entries in the blockbuster first-person shooter franchise will be added "during the holiday season", roughly a year after release.
Existing Call of Duty titles already available on Game Pass will remain accessible.
The move marks a notable shift in Microsoft’s strategy following its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which brought Call of Duty under its umbrella. Game Pass had previously been positioned around day-one access to major first-party releases.
New Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma said the changes reflect concerns about pricing and value.
She said: "Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players… We’ll keep learning and evolving Game Pass to better match what matters to players."
Reports suggest the decision is also linked to lost sales, with estimates indicating Microsoft forfeited more than $300 million in Call of Duty revenue last year as players opted to access the games through Game Pass instead of purchasing them outright.
The price cuts arrive amid questions over subscriber growth, with the service last reported at 34 million users in 2024. Upcoming releases such as Forza Horizon 6 are expected to play a key role in attracting new players.
Other tiers remain unchanged, with Essential and Premium continuing to offer smaller libraries and delayed access to first-party titles.
