Microsoft raises Game Pass Ultimate to $30 — tiers rebranded, Ubisoft+ added, cloud gaming out of beta
Microsoft has overhauled Xbox Game Pass as of October 1, 2025. The service is being rebranded into three tiers — Essential, Premium, and Ultimate — and brings both new content and higher prices.
Key changes
- Game Pass Ultimate: now $30/month (up from $20 — a 50% increase). Includes Ubisoft+ and 45+ games added immediately.
- PC Game Pass: price increases to $16.50/month.
- Tier rename: Standard -> Premium ($15/mo); Core -> Essential ($10/mo). Premium and Essential now include PC games.
- Fortnite Crew: included for Ultimate members starting Nov 18 (adds Battle Pass + monthly V-Bucks).
- Xbox Cloud Gaming: officially out of beta; Ultimate gets highest-quality streaming option and lower wait times.
- Rewards: Ultimate members can earn up to $100/year; Premium up to $50/year; Essential up to $25/year.
What this means
The Ultimate tier substantially expands its library (now 400+ games and day-one releases across platforms) and bundles services like Ubisoft+, which adds value — but the steep price jump will sting many subscribers. At $360/year, Ultimate is now more than double the annual cost of PlayStation Plus Premium (around $160/year).
Other related news
- Microsoft also raised prices on Xbox Series X/S consoles in the US and higher-priced hardware (e.g., the ASUS ROG Ally preorder has been listed around $1,000 by some retailers).
Sources & more info
Official Xbox post: Xbox News — Game Pass updates
ROG Ally (retailer search): Search ROG Ally on Amazon
Discussion
Are you keeping Game Pass Ultimate at $30/month, downgrading, or canceling? Share why in the comments — we’ll summarize community reactions in a follow-up post.