Microsoft reorganises Game Pass – New releases only for an additional charge

Microsoft has announced extensive changes to its Game Pass games subscription. In future, new game releases will only be available in the highest subscription level called Ultimate, which will cost 27 Euro per month instead of the previous 18 Euro. In addition, the monthly prices for the entry-level subscription will increase, which will be called Essential instead of Core and will cost 9 Euro per month instead of 7 Euro.

The intermediate level will be called Premium instead of Standard and will remain unchanged at 13 Euro per month. Current Game Pass members will be switched to the new levels. However, as not only the content but also some prices will change, Microsoft will have to ask German customers for their consent beforehand. Microsoft last increased the prices for the Game Pass last year.

Many changes and one major disadvantage

Price and name changes are not enough: Microsoft is completely reorganising its game subscription. One of the advantages of the new concept is that unlimited cloud gaming is now included in all subscription levels. In the Ultimate tier, which has become significantly pricier, users now also get the Ubisoft+ and Fortnite Crew subscriptions on top. That's nice for those who need it – In practice, however, these are likely to be mainly gifts of convenience to make a massive price increase of 9 euros a little more manageable.

For most users, the Game Pass subscription is getting worse: until now, it was possible to play many new releases from Xbox studios and independent partners directly on release, even at the medium subscription level. This was a major argument in favor of Game Pass, but in future it will only be included in the significantly more expensive Ultimate tier. Standard/Premium subscribers wait a year for new releases, Core/Essential users have a very limited game library anyway and are not promised any new titles.

In fact, however, the Standard/Premium subscription has been truncated – For most players, new releases will have been more important than cloud gaming. After all, mid-tier subscribers will also be able to use their subscription on PC in future. Microsoft has not yet announced any changes for the pure PC Game Pass, at least in Germany; you can still subscribe to it for 12 Euro per month. In the USA, however, the price of the PC Game Pass will rise from 12 to 16.50 US dollars – without any compensatory improvements, according to The Verge.

(dahe)