Microsoft Gaming is changing Xbox Game Pass pricing starting today, with Game Pass Ultimate dropping from $29. 99 to $22. 99 a month and PC Game Pass falling from $16. 49 to $13. 99 a month. The update lands as the company moves to reset the value conversation around microsoft gaming and its subscription plans. It also arrives alongside a major shift in when future Call of Duty titles will reach the service.
Price changes take effect today
The new pricing is live now, and Microsoft Gaming said prices may vary by region. The lower monthly rates affect two of its core plans: Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Game Pass Ultimate remains the most expansive option in the lineup, with access to hundreds of games on Xbox console and PC. That includes current Call of Duty titles, in-game benefits, online console multiplayer, unlimited Xbox Cloud Gaming, and major day one releases.
Microsoft Gaming framed the change as a response to feedback, saying it serves a wide range of geographies, preferences, and tastes, and that there is not a single model that is best for everyone. it will continue to listen and learn.
Microsoft Gaming shifts Call of Duty timing
The pricing move comes with another significant change: beginning this year, future Call of Duty titles will not join Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. Instead, new Call of Duty games will be added during the following holiday season, about a year later.
Existing Call of Duty titles already in the library will remain available. That distinction matters for subscribers tracking what they can play now versus what will arrive later under the microsoft gaming subscription model.
This change also narrows the immediate value proposition for players who have treated Game Pass as a day-one access point for the franchise. Microsoft Gaming has not described the move as permanent, but the timing change is explicit and immediate for future releases.
What the internal pressure looks like
The update follows signs that Microsoft Gaming is under pressure to address pricing concerns. In an internal memo to Xbox employees, Microsoft’s new Xbox chief, Asha Sharma, said Game Pass has become too expensive for players and that the company needs a better value equation.
Sharma also said the current model is not the final one and described a longer-term effort to evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system. In the memo, she said that work will take time to test and learn around.
That message points to a company that is trying to steady the service while adjusting its structure. Microsoft Gaming is now moving on price, timing, and product design at the same time.
What’s next for subscribers
For now, the immediate changes are straightforward: lower monthly prices for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, plus a delay for future Call of Duty titles. Microsoft Gaming has said it will keep listening, and Sharma is expected to go deeper with Xbox employees next week.
The next signals will matter most for subscribers watching whether this is a one-time reset or the start of a broader rethink. For microsoft gaming, the real test will be whether the new pricing and later Call of Duty access are enough to restore confidence in the service’s value.
