Microsoft’s price hike on its monthly game subscription service kicks in tomorrow.
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Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass is arguably one of the best “deals” in gaming right now, but starting tomorrow, July 6th, the subscription service will be slightly pricier. Announced last month alongside a price increase on Xbox consoles outside the US, Game Pass is getting a $1 to $2 price hike. That means today is the last day to lock in a subscription at the current $9.99-per-month base price or $14.99-per-month Ultimate tier.
Starting tomorrow, the base price of Xbox Game Pass will be $10.99 a month instead of $9.99. That entry-level tier allows you to download and play the monthly rotating roster of over 100 games on Xbox Series X / S and Xbox One consoles. The pricier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier, which encompasses PC Game Pass (which will remain at its current $9.99 per month standalone price) and the Xbox Cloud Gaming Beta, is jumping from $14.99 per month to $16.99. However, Microsoft is giving current subscribers a short grace period, or until August 13th, before they see their prices go up.
While these initial Xbox Game Pass price hikes are nowhere near the steepest in the world of digital subscriptions, they likely won’t be the only time they occur. Xbox Game Pass still offers a good value if you like the selection of games on offer, such as Hi-Fi Rush and, soon, Starfield. Still, if it begins trending in the direction of ever-pricier streaming video services, it’s possible the luster may start to wear.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers access to more than 100 titles for PC and Xbox consoles, which you can play on multiple devices. The pass also gives subscribers access to exclusive deals, online multiplayer, and Microsoft’s cloud gaming service, Xbox Cloud Gaming. A one-month digital subscription typically costs $15.99 (with a price increase to $16.99 taking effect July 6th, 2023. Currently, Eneba is offering three months of Ultimate tier membership for $25.69 with code UltiUS until July 10th at 7AM ET / 4AM PT.
Thankfully, if you’re savvy, you can find deals, discounts, and workarounds to get Xbox Game Pass for even cheaper. Right now, for example, Amazon is offering a digital voucher card for one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $13.82 (about $3 off the new price) and a three-month card for $41.66 (about $9 off the new pricing). But the best deal is Eneba’s offer of three months of Game Pass Ultimate for $25.69 after fees when you use promo code UltiUS at checkout — a deal that is available until July 10th at 7AM ET / 4AM PT. That’s about 50 percent off the new monthly price for three months.
So while it may be a bummer to see Game Pass costing more, be sure to do what you can to save some coin on Microsoft’s subscription service while you still have a chance.
