Xbox Game Pass pricing changes reshaped its subscription plans on October 1, 2025, with new Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers arriving for players worldwide.
Since launch, Game Pass has been a popular service for Xbox. It pushed day one releases like Starfield, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Blue Prince, while the likes of Minecraft, Halo Infinite, and Forza Horizon 5 have kept the library consistent.
In 2024, Microsoft nudged up subscription prices for some regions. Now it has restructured the service entirely, introducing three distinct, differently priced tiers.
Xbox Game Pass pricing changes with tier exclusivity
Xbox Game Pass now offers three plans: Essential at $9.99, Premium at $14.99, and Ultimate at $29.99.
Essential provides a curated library of 50+ games playable across console, PC, and cloud. It includes online multiplayer, unlimited cloud gaming, in-game benefits, and up to $25 per year back through Xbox Rewards.
Premium expands the library to 200+ games. Players gain Xbox-published releases within a year of launch, wider PC support, unlimited cloud gaming, and more in-game benefits. Rewards climb to $50 annually, with discounts and points multipliers on purchases.
Ultimate sits at the top. At $29.99, it folds in Ubisoft+ Classics, EA Play, and Fortnite Crew from November 18. Subscribers can access more than 400 games, including 75+ day one releases every year. Cloud streaming quality has been upgraded, rewards increase to $100 annually, and wait times for cloud sessions are shorter.
The transition is automatic. Core subscribers move to Essential. Standard subscribers switch to Premium. Ultimate members remain in place with expanded features. Pricing varies by region, with changes rolling out globally.
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