Xbox Game Pass Reveals “Biggest Upgrade Yet” in New Essential, Premium, & Ultimate Plass

Game Has announced major changes to its subscription model that thats’ll affect subscribers on all tiers. Microsoft’s Subscription Service for Xbox and PC Games, which recently announced its October Line Some Hold that it is stagnant the best deal in gaming, while others questioning its sustainability.

That’s all about to change: accorting to Xbox wire, Game Pass Will Now Splinal off Into Three Different Tiers: Essential, Premium, and Ultimate. Prices and game libraries for all tiers have been adjusted, and players can now earn rewards to spend in the Microsoft Store by Playing.

Changes Will Take Place Beginning Todayso don’t forget to check your subscription tier and adjust as needed.

What’s Changing for Game Pass

New Tiers, New Prices, & New Rewards

The headline here is the new subscription tier structure. The table below compares the prices and library sizes of the game pass out, premium, and ultimate.

Crucily, this means The PC-Exclusive Tier of Game Pass’ Old Model is No More. This tier previously offended a Huge library of PC Games, Including Day-One Releases, for Just $ 11.99 A MONTH.

Now, Though, All Three Game Pass Tiers Ara AVAILALABLE ON ALL PLATORS: Cloud, PC, and Console. The Only Difference, THEN, IS WHAT EACH OF THE INCLUDES.

The essential tier is the Smallas and Most modestly priced. IT’S Essentily Equivalent to the Old Game Pass Model’s Core Tierwith Just over 50 Games-No Day-One Releasa. Howver, Essential Now Includes Cloud Streaming and In-Game Benefits, and Also Allows Players to Earn Up to $ 25 Worth of Microsoft Store Rewards for Year.

Premium is the Next Step UpWith Over 200 Games Included. No Day-One Releasses Will Be Included in Premium, But Subscribers Will Get Xbox-Published Games with A Year of Launch. Premium Subscribers Will See Shorter Wait Times for Cloud Gaming, Along With the Same in-Game Benefits As Essential Subscribers, but with a Rewards Limit of $ 50 per year.

Finally, there’s Ultimate, The Only Tier to Survive The Transition To game pass’ new model, albeit not with substantial Change. Ultimate Comes with Over 400 Games, Including 75 Day-One Release for Year. That includes all first-ppary xbox releasa. Ubisoft+ Classics and EA Play Subscripts are included, and Fortnite Crew Subscripts Will Arrive in November.

Ultimate Subscribers Experience the Shortst Wait Times for Cloud Gaming, and Can Stream at Resolutions up to 1440p. They Get the Same in-Game Benefits As Everyone Else, and Can Earn Up to $ 100 in Microsoft Store Rewards for Year.

Game Pass’ New Structure is a mixed bag

Flashy Upgrades Hide A Price Hike

Microsoft’s Official News Source Xbox wire FRAMES THIS AS A POSIV FOR SUBSCRIERS, The Program’s “Biggest Upgrade Yet. “But i’m not totally convinced. This is Effectatively a Hidden Price Hike for Game PassHidden Within a New Three-Tier Structure.

Core subscribers will be far unaffected, but pc-tier players will be strength to upgrade to premium or downgrade to essential-and Ultimate Subscribers Will Need to Pay a Whopping $ 10 More per Month to stay on the plan.

Neither a current ultimate subscriber, all the things i VALue About Game Pass Currently (Cloud Streaming and Day-One Releases Like Hollow Knight: Silksong) HAVE EATHER BEEN FUNNELED INTO The New, Higher-Priced Version of Ultimate, or SO Significantly Downgraded in the Lower Tiers that They May No Longer Be Worth it.

In my opinion, Game Pass’ New Features don’t make up for the price hikeeather. I don’t typically spend Money in the Microsoft Store Beyond My Game Pass Subscription, SO $ 100 Worth of Rewards Waledy Sit in My Account unused. I do not do cloud streaming in 1440p, Because of typically do it on my tiny steam deck screen. And the included Fortnite Crew Subscription is wasted on anyon who doesn’t regularly play Fortnite.

These benefits are like the higher price tag for some players, but personally, i’m questioning the value of my game subscript after this announkament. I don’t think this is the final nail in the coffin for Gamebut i’m afraid the service is alienating a portion of its player base.