Microsoft Raises Xbox Game Pass Top Subscription 50% to $30, Adds More Perks and Games

Microsoft is raising the top Xbox Game Pass subscription tier by 50% to $30/month, while upgrading its other two tiers. The new Ultimate plan will offer access to over 400 games, a broader selection on release day, and better cloud streaming quality. Microsoft is focusing on Game Pass as it de-emphasizes console sales, aiming to distribute its content and services across multiple devices. The service had 34 million subscribers and nearly $5 billion in sales in fiscal 2025.

Microsoft has announced a significant update to its Xbox Game Pass subscription tiers, with the Ultimate plan seeing a 50% price increase to $30 per month. This move comes as part of a broader strategy to enhance the service and emphasize its role as a key distribution channel for Microsoft's content and services across multiple devices.

The new Ultimate tier, effective October 1, 2025, will offer access to over 400 games, including recent releases like Hogwarts Legacy and a selection of Ubisoft classics. This expansion is part of Microsoft's effort to provide a more extensive library of titles on release day and improve cloud streaming quality for subscribers.

The price increase is accompanied by upgrades to the other tiers. The Premium tier, which replaces the Standard tier, will feature over 40 new games, including Blizzard's Diablo 4 and Hogwarts Legacy, and will offer new Xbox-published games within a year of their launch, excluding Call of Duty titles. The Essential tier, which replaces the Core tier, will provide a curated catalog of over 50 games playable on both console and PC.

Additionally, Microsoft has confirmed that as of October 1, 2025, users will no longer be able to directly redeem their Microsoft Rewards points for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. Instead, they will need to redeem points for an Xbox gift card and then use that gift card for a Game Pass membership. This change will make it more expensive for users to access the service using Rewards points.

The Xbox Game Pass service had 34 million subscribers and nearly $5 billion in sales in fiscal 2025, highlighting its growing importance to Microsoft's business model. As the company continues to de-emphasize console sales and focus on digital distribution, Xbox Game Pass is positioned as a key revenue driver.