Save on Xbox Game Pass as Microsoft Rolls Back Subscription Rates
Microsoft slashes Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass prices while changing how Call of Duty arrives on the service.
Key Takeaways: The Quick Answer
- Price Drop: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is reduced to $22.99/month and PC Game Pass to $13.99/month effective immediately.
- Call of Duty Change: Future Call of Duty titles will no longer launch on Day-One; they will join the service approximately one year later during the holiday season.
- Service Sustainability: The price correction follows an admission from Xbox leadership that the previous pricing tier had become too expensive for many players.
Microsoft has officially rolled back the pricing on its subscription service. After last year’s controversial increase, the company is now taking a different approach with a noticeable price cut for both Ultimate and PC Game Pass tiers. If you thought the service was getting a bit too heavy on the wallet, today brings some relief.
Xbox Game Pass Price Reduction 2026
Last year, Xbox caught everyone off guard with a steep price hike for the Ultimate tier. People understandably pushed back on the cost but Microsoft managed to smooth things over by pointing to Call of Duty day-one launches as the main justification.
Fast forward to this year, that strategy may not have resulted in their desired outcome. Apart from possible loss of game sales, Asha Sharma, the newly appointed CEO of Xbox, openly acknowledged that the Game Pass had become expensive. That comment alone sparked speculation that a pricing adjustment could be coming. True enough it was on the cards and we didn’t have to wait long for that to take effect.
Just a few hours ago, an official Xbox announcement and a post on Asha’s X account confirmed that Microsoft is officially slashing the price of both the Ultimate and PC tiers. Game Pass Ultimate is dropping from $29.99 down to $22.99 a month, and PC Game Pass is going from $16.49 to $13.99 a month, with regional pricing also taking effect.
Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players. Starting today, we’re dropping the price from $29.99 to $22.99/month.
— Asha (@asha_shar) April 21, 2026
Future Call of Duty titles will no longer join Game Pass Ultimate on day one. They will join this tier the following holiday after launch (about…
Since the initial increase was tied directly to Call of Duty day-one releases, removing that perk is exactly what allowed this price correction. Effective today alongside the new rates, future Call of Duty titles will no longer launch on day one for Ultimate or PC Game Pass. Instead, those games will join the catalog during the following holiday season, essentially a full year later. Titles currently in service are unaffected.
Reactions have been mixed but generally positive. A lot of subscribers welcome the lower cost especially given the broader economic crisis, though some still argue that the new pricing remains on the high side. Some are calling for further reduction and suggest taking the Fortnite Crew out if they need justification for that. On the flip side, those who primarily signed up for day-one Call of Duty access are understandably less satisfied.
Even so, this adjustment feels like a step in a more balanced direction. Not every change will land perfectly with everyone. There is chatter about a dedicated Call of Duty tier in the future, so for players who were only in it for those day-one releases, that could end up being the more appealing option down the line.
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Sending some gaming news your way from a surfing paradise island. Loves creating content, and researching informative facts and useless trivia. A novice in the gaming industry but a veteran in communications and publication.
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