Gaming
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price hike has gamers fuming
Microsoft just upped the ante with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now at $29.99 a month, but PC gamers are grinning ear to ear with a savvy $16.49 a month deal.
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Microsoft just pulled the classic “we’re adding value!” card while jacking up Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to a wallet-crushing $29.99 a month.
That’s nearly $360 a year for the privilege of renting games you’ll lose the moment you stop paying.
Dustin Blackwell, Microsoft’s Director of Gaming and Platform Communications, delivered the predictable PR spin in a statement to The Verge.
“What’s new for everyone across all three Xbox Game Pass plans is bigger game libraries, including PC games across each of the plans,” explains Dustin Blackwell, director of gaming and platform communications at Microsoft, in a briefing with The Verge. “There is also unlimited cloud gaming, which is new to Essential and Premium subscribers.”
Price hikes are “never fun for anybody,” but hey, they’re adding so much value to justify bleeding your bank account dry.
The internet’s response? A collective eye roll so powerful that it probably registered on seismographs worldwide.
But here’s the plot twist nobody saw coming: PC gaming just became the scrappy underdog hero of this story.
While console peasants fork over $30 monthly for Game Pass Ultimate, PC gamers are living their best life with PC Game Pass at just $16.49.
FYI: GamePass Ultimate monthly digital subscriptions are still running for $19.99 on Amazon, so scoop these up while you still can before the inevitable price hikes.
Same day-one releases, half the price, and zero monthly fees for online multiplayer because—surprise—that’s how the internet is supposed to work.
The PC ecosystem is basically laughing at console pricing right now
Want cheaper games? Hit up CDKeys and other marketplaces for discounts that make Steam sales look conservative. Most Microsoft exclusives eventually make their way to PC, usually within a year or two.
Microsoft seems dead-set on this pricing strategy, even if it means watching subscribers flee faster than rats from a sinking ship.
With Sony likely eyeing similar price hikes, PC gaming’s looking less like the “master race” meme and more like basic financial literacy.
The message is clear: if you’re tired of subscription services treating your wallet like a piñata, it might be time to join the PC gaming revolution.
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