Big news for gamers!
Microsoft, the company that makes Xbox, is changing the price of its best Game Pass subscription. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate plan, which lets you play hundreds of games, will now cost $29.99 a month. That’s a jump from its old price of $19.99.
What’s Changing?
This is a 50% increase in price for the Ultimate plan. But Microsoft says it’s adding a lot more cool stuff to make it worth the extra money.
Here’s what you get with the new, more expensive Game Pass Ultimate:
- Ubisoft+ Classics: You’ll now get access to many popular games from Ubisoft, a big game company. Think games like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. These games would cost about $16 a month if you bought them separately, so it’s a nice bonus!
- Fortnite Crew: If you play Fortnite, this is great news! Game Pass Ultimate will now include the Fortnite Crew membership. This means you’ll get the newest Battle Pass, 1,000 V-Bucks (game money), and special clothes for your character every month. This usually costs about $12 a month on its own.
- More New Games: Microsoft promises that over 75 brand-new games will be added to Game Pass on the very first day they come out each year. That’s a lot more than before!
- Better Cloud Gaming: If you like to play games over the internet without downloading them (called cloud gaming), Ultimate will give you the best picture quality and faster access to games.
Why the Price Hike?
Microsoft says the price change is because they are adding so much more value to the Ultimate plan. By including games from Ubisoft and the Fortnite Crew membership, they believe players are getting a much better deal, even with the higher price. They also want to bring more exciting new games to the service on day one.
What About Other Game Pass Plans?
Not all Game Pass plans are changing price. Here’s a quick look at the other options:
- Game Pass Essential (was called Game Pass Core) will still be $9.99 a month.
- Game Pass Premium (was called Game Pass Standard) will still be $14.99 a month.
- PC Game Pass (for computer players) will go up a bit, from $11.99 to $16.49 a month.
Is It Worth It?
For many gamers, Game Pass Ultimate is already a fantastic deal because it offers so many games for one monthly price. With the new additions, especially the Ubisoft games and Fortnite Crew, the value goes up even more.
If you use all these services, the new price might actually save you money compared to buying them all separately. However, if you only play a few games and don’t care about Fortnite or Ubisoft, you might need to decide if the new $29.99 price is still right for you.
Microsoft hopes that with more games and extra perks, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will continue to be a top choice for players around the world.
