Categories: Technology

Microsoft Increases Game Pass Prices and Unveils a New ‘Standard’ Tier Starting September

Microsoft Increases Game Pass Prices

Microsoft is set to increase the price of its Xbox Game Pass subscription services in different regions and tiers starting on July 10 for new subscribers. This price increase follows the fact that Microsoft confirmed a week or so ago that the upcoming Call of Duty title will be a day-one addition to Xbox Game Pass. However, there are certain new positions that Microsoft plans to implement soon, including the establishment of the latest Xbox Game Pass Standard subscription, whose price has been increased as well.

Updated Game Pass Pricing

Microsoft has just announced that the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Xbox Game Pass Core, and PC Game Pass subscriptions will go up starting July 10, 2020, for new users only. Current subscribers will notice these changes beneath the recurring costs effective September 12.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: In India, the monthly subscription fee for Game Pass Ultimate will increase from Rs 549 to Rs 829. This tier entails a library of games, day-one releases, and other privileges for Xbox consoles as well as the PC.

Xbox Game Pass Core: The monthly fee for Game Pass Core, which includes a set of games and Xbox Online multiplayer on Xbox consoles, will be raised annually from Rs. 1,999 to Rs. 3,349.

PC Game Pass: The monthly subscription cost for PC Game Pass will go up from Rs. 249 to Rs. 449.

The detailed list of the new prices according to various countries can be found on the official Microsoft website.

Introduction to the Game Pass Standard

Microsoft is also introducing a new tier called Xbox Game Pass Standard, which will cost $14.99 (approximately Rs. 1,251). This new tier will unlock thousands of games and cover all the features of Game Pass Core, like online console multiplayer and member discounts. But it will not stream new first-party games on the day they are released in stores.

Also, Microsoft has extended that it is discontinuing the Game Pass for Console new user subscription. Any person who has subscribed to our services and has activated an auto-renewal on their membership shall be allowed to continue using the benefits of their membership.

The Rationale Behind the Changes

Microsoft stated that these changes would allow them to add “more value and more great games to Game Pass.” The announcement follows Microsoft’s confirmation in May that Call of Duty: COD Black Ops 6 plans to launch on Game Pass immediately after it is released on October 25th.

This is the second time only to experience such a change, as the Game Pass Ultimate subscription in India saw an increase in the price from Rs. 499 to Rs. 549 back in July last year.

The proposed price changes and the new tier have the main purpose of improving the service provided by the Xbox Game Pass, which is in line with Microsoft’s goal of improving the gamers’ experience for the subscribers of the service.

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