Xbox Game Pass gets a fresh lineup and a price bump
Microsoft is reshaping how gamers sign up for its Game Pass. Starting today, the service splits into three “new” tiers. Two are reimagined versions of older options, while Ultimate sticks around with a notable price rise.
A revised trio with clearer roles
The smallest plan, once called Core, is now Xbox Game Pass Essential. The mid tier, once labeled Standard, is renamed Premium. Ultimate stays as its name but lands a higher price and added perks.
What each plan costs and what you’ll get
– Essential costs $13.99 per month, up from Core’s $11.99. It opens access to more than 50 games across Xbox, PC, and other supported devices, online multiplayer, and streaming for games you already own.
– Premium runs $17.99 per month, up from $16.99. It gives you more than 200 games on Xbox, PC, and supported devices, adds new Xbox-published games within 12 months of launch (with some exceptions), plus online multiplayer and more.
– Ultimate now asks for $33.99 per month, up from $22.99. It unlocks 400-plus games across Xbox, PC, and supported devices, brings day-one Xbox-published titles (including Call of Duty), EA Play, and Ubisoft+ Classics, plus better streaming and multiplayer access.
Ultimate gains richer perks
Along with the price hike, Ultimate expands what you see. Subscribers now get more than 75 day-one Xbox Game Studios releases, Fortnite Crew benefits (V-Bucks and extras) and Ubisoft+ Classics (older Ubisoft titles) integrated into the tier. Cloud gaming quality improves to 1440p, and the Rewards program offers new ways to earn as you play.
Rewards and real value for playing
Xbox says Ultimate members can rack up as much as $100 per year through the Rewards program. That’s about 100,000 points worldwide, earned by playing games (up to 30% of the value). Points come faster on game and add-on purchases, and you can get up to 30% off select Game Pass games.
How the tiers stack up at a glance
– Essential ($13.99) gives 50-plus games across Xbox, PC, and devices, plus online multiplayer and streaming for owned titles.
– Premium ($17.99) opens 200-plus games across platforms, day-one Xbox titles within a year of launch (with COD exclusions), and multiplayer.
– Ultimate ($33.99) unlocks 400-plus games, day-one Xbox titles (including COD), EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, and stronger streaming plus multiplayer.
Cloud gaming leaves its beta label behind
A big change is that Xbox Cloud Gaming now exits its long-running beta phase. With that, unlimited cloud gaming becomes available across Essential, Premium, and Ultimate for the first time.
PC Game Pass price rises and what it means
PC Game Pass goes up to $19.99 per month. Ubisoft+ Classics won’t be included with this increase, but roughly 50 additional Ubisoft titles join the catalog. Day-one titles stay in place, keeping the fastest access to major releases.
New games added across the tiers
Today brings a wave of fresh titles to Game Pass. Expect more Assassin’s Creed games and Hogwarts Legacy available on Ultimate. You’ll also see Age of Empires, Diablo, and Fallout entries in Premium, plus Hades and Disney Dreamlight Valley on Essential. The full list lives on Microsoft’s site.
What this shift means for players
Prices rise across the board, so members will weigh value against what they play most. Microsoft has shared solid growth figures in the past, reporting 34 million subscribers in early 2024. Since then, growth has slowed, and the new tiers aim to balance price with a wider mix of games and perks.
How these moves tie into hardware and future plans
The timing comes as Microsoft nears a new hardware line. Two weeks from now, the company launches its first dedicated Xbox-branded handheld PC, the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, built with Asus. Canadian pricing for the devices has also been confirmed, signaling a bigger push into mobile-style play.
Final thoughts for the season ahead
The refreshed Game Pass lineup brings more day-one titles, stronger cloud play, and a broader spread of games across the three tiers. It also links in big partners like Ubisoft and EA, while readying a path for a new wave of devices. Whether the adjusted prices will deter some fans or lure new subscribers remains to be seen, but the service now maps a clearer route for different kinds of players.
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