Microsoft’s Game Pass model is being revised. Big changes are in store for gamers who will, in September, be greeted with price hikes across the board. Additionally, they will need to say goodbye to day-one releases if they stick to the most basic plan offered by Microsoft.
Starting September 12, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will need to shell out $19.99 a month instead of the current $16.99. As for the PC Game Pass, those subscribing to it will be asked to pay $11.99 per month instead of $9.99.
The third plan, the standard Xbox Game Pass for consoles, will cease to exist. It will be replaced by a new Game Pass Standard subscription that won’t include day-one releases. Those who’ve already purchased console plans shouldn’t be worried though. They can continue using them till the expiration dates and even stack up to 13 months on top.
But we doubt most players would like to do that, especially considering that this fall’s big launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, won’t be available on the plan. Those who wish to get into the game on day one will need to either purchase it separately or be on the Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass plans.
Following Microsoft’s mammoth $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company confirmed that the next Call of Duty will be a day-one Game Pass release. With such a massive offering being made available under previously existing subscription models, the price increase doesn’t seem that big of a surprise.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is being co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software as the twenty-first installment of the series. It will be released for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 25. As we’ve said, Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers will get the game on launch.