Microsoft announced on October 1, 2025, a restructuring of Xbox Game Pass into three tiers: Essential at $9.99, Premium at $14.99, and Ultimate at $29.99 per month, with the top tier now including over 400 games, day-one Xbox and Activision Blizzard releases, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, and Fortnite Crew starting November 18.
The Ultimate price represents a 50% increase from $19.99, following prior hikes in 2023 and 2024 amid the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
The changes prompted immediate backlash from gamers, leading to widespread subscription cancellations that overloaded Microsoft’s management site.