Xbox's future could look very different as the company's leadership changes recently with longtime CEO Phil Spencer retiring and Microsoft's former president of CoreAI Asha Sharma taking over the role. As part of the leadership change, a leaked internal memo from Sharma indicates that the new CEO believes Xbox Game PassThe company's flagship sports subscription service, has become very expensive. If this leak is indicative of the company's attitude towards the future of Xbox Game Pass, customers may see a change in its pricing structure in the future. But that's not all that should be included in a potential Game Pass rework.
Xbox Game Pass's ever-growing library of games, including day-one Game Pass releases, has steadily increased the value of the service since its launch back in 2017. In addition to a library of game subscriptions, Game Pass includes online multiplayer access and other game subscriptions such as EA+ Crewt-Crewt, Fort. As the service has evolved over its nearly decade-long lifespan, both Xbox Game Pass's pricing model and various subscription tiers have become somewhat unwieldy to manage, and re-evaluating the service's pricing would be an opportune time to streamline its subscription tiers as well.
April 30 is suddenly a super busy day for Xbox Game Pass subscribers
Xbox Game Pass subscribers should circle April 30 on their calendars as this will be an especially busy day for the service.
Reassessing the price of Xbox Game Pass should include streamlining the tires
When Game Pass first launched, it was only available to Xbox console players as a single subscription service separate from Xbox Live Gold, which was still required for online play on supported games. As the service evolved, it spawned additional iterations that players could choose from when subscribing, such as Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which bundled Game Pass with Xbox Live Gold, and PC Game Pass, a dedicated service for PC players. Eventually, Xbox Live Gold was replaced by Xbox Game Pass Core, which included a smaller library of available games and access to online multiplayer services.
Back in October 2025, Xbox overhauled the Game Pass pricing and tier structure in several significant ways. The service was divided into four different tiers, offering different levels of library access and other features depending on how much users were willing to pay. The result saw a huge price increase for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which meant that players who wanted access to everything the service had to offer had to shell out big, or navigate a confusing tier structure to determine which features they needed and which they didn't.
Current Xbox Game Pass tiers and what they offer
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Xbox Game Pass required – $9.99/month
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Xbox Game Pass Premium – $14.99/month
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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – $29.99/month
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PC Game Pass – $16.49/month
Xbox Game Pass Essential is the most bare bones of the tiers offered, and is basically a rebranding of the Core tier that was previously offered. With Essential, Xbox Game Pass members get access to 50+ games on console, PC, and other supported devices like Apple and Android devices and Meta VR headsets. This tier also provides access to online console multiplayer services and the ability to stream proprietary games from Microsoft's cloud gaming services.
Xbox Game Pass Premium goes a step further than necessary to give customers access to 200+ games from its library, as well as shorter wait times for game streaming with features included in essential tiers like online console multiplayer and Xbox Cloud Gaming. This tier is marketed as the standard tier for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, with new users able to get 14 days of access for just $1. However, it still excludes first and third-party releases on day one.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the most expensive tier, costing twice the monthly price of Premium, but it gives customers access to more content. This tier offers 500+ console and PC games, access to Day One games, and libraries from other subscription services such as EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, and Fortnite Crew, benefits from previous tiers. However, at $30 per month, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members are paying $360 for a full year of service, making it hard to swallow most gamers' wallets for the full Game Pass package.
PC Game Pass is also an option for PC-only players, giving them access to 300+ games, including day one releases, as well as other Game Pass features such as EA Play and 50+ Ubisoft+ Classics, at the same price as the Premium tier without the cloud streaming option.
How Game Pass could be streamlined in the future
Given how expensive Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has become, gamers would be forgiven for opting for a lower subscription tier. However, trying to navigate Game Pass's vast library to determine which games are available and which tier can be a headache that may lead some to bite the bullet and purchase Ultimate. In an effort to save gamers some money and headaches, there's a way that Game Pass could potentially be more affordable and even further down the tier of games offered.
Perhaps Game Pass could offer a base-level tier like Essential or Core, giving players access to a limited selection of games and basic services like online multiplayer and cloud streaming at a cheaper price. Then, instead of deciding whether to buy Premium or Ultimate to access their favorite games, Xbox Game Pass could offer an add-on service that groups game genres into a package for an extra dollar or two based on genre.
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For example, if the Game Pass subscriber is an RPG fan who wants access The Elder Scrolls 6 On release day, maybe there will be an RPG Tier add-on for a few more dollars that only includes a curated selection of RPGs. It can also work for other genres like sports, life-sim, platformers, or indies. This breakdown makes it easy to understand at a glance what each tier entails, while providing a basic library of games for fans of all genres or newcomers to gaming.
A cheap game pass can come with some major drawbacks
Obviously, in order to make Game Pass cheaper, some offers will have to be cut. The current rumor is that Game Pass will stop offering it Call of DutyBecause that was due to a big price hike in October 2025. However, making other features, such as EA Play and Fortnite Crew optional add-ons, could reduce the overall value for gamers who are not interested in those parts of the service and want to streamline their Game Pass experience.
