Microsoft raises Game Pass Ultimate to $30/month — what it means for Xbox fans
Microsoft has rebranded Game Pass tiers and announced significant price changes. The headline: Game Pass Ultimate now costs $30/month (a 50% rise from $20). PC Game Pass also rises to $16.50/month. Meanwhile, the new tier names are Essential ($10/mo) and Premium ($15/mo).
What’s included with the higher price?
- Ubisoft+ is added to Ultimate, bringing 45+ Ubisoft titles (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, etc.).
- Fortnite Crew joins Ultimate on Nov 18 (battle pass + 1,000 V-Bucks/month).
- Over 75 day-one games available per year for Ultimate members (~6/month on average).
- Xbox Cloud Gaming exits beta with higher-quality streaming for Ultimate.
- Ultimate library now exceeds 400 games, including EA Play titles.
- Earn up to $100 in rewards per year by playing.
Price comparison
- Ultimate: $30/month → $360/year
- PlayStation Plus Premium (comparative): ~$160/year
Other notes
Microsoft also confirmed price increases for Xbox Series X/S consoles. Pre-orders for the ROG Xbox Ally handheld are live, with the higher-end model listed at about $1,000. If you want to check availability or buy the handheld, search ROG Ally on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ROG+Ally&tag=f1rede-20
For official Game Pass details and the latest announcements, see Microsoft’s Game Pass page: https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass
Is it worth it?
The new price makes Ultimate much more expensive — but it also adds value via Ubisoft+ and Fortnite Crew. Whether it’s worth keeping depends on how much you play (and if you use Fortnite or Ubisoft titles). What will you do: keep Ultimate, switch tiers, or cancel?
Story developing — check official Xbox channels for updates.