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Microsoft Corp's (NASDAQ:MSFT) recent overhaul of Xbox Game Pass has brought significant changes to the subscription service, impacting how gamers access some of the industry's anticipated titles.
As of Sept. 12, 2024, the newly introduced tiers are live, offering different levels of access — and leaving many to wonder whether the higher cost of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is worth the expanded library, IGN reported.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, now priced at $19.99 per month (up from $16.99), remains the most comprehensive option for players. It includes day-one access to new titles, the full Xbox Game Pass library, PC Game Pass, EA Play, Xbox Cloud Gaming, online multiplayer, and a range of perks such as exclusive deals and discounts.
However, the newly launched Xbox Game Pass Standard costs $14.99 per month and offers far fewer benefits. Subscribers to this plan miss out on day-one releases, EA Play access, and the cloud gaming feature, limiting their experience to a smaller pool of Xbox titles.
Subscribers still using the now-defunct Game Pass for Console tier will continue to receive day-one games, but new users can no longer sign up for this option, making it a legacy tier reserved for existing customers at $10.99 per month.
Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass Core at $9.99 per month offers online multiplayer alongside access to a rotating selection of about 25 games, in stark contrast to the 370 titles available under Game Pass Standard and the extensive library of 508 games reserved for Ultimate subscribers.
With the new tier system in place, subscribers opting for Xbox Game Pass Standard may feel the absence of some heavy-hitters. These notable exclusions include:
The games listed above, among others, are now exclusive to Game Pass Ultimate for new subscribers, making the decision to upgrade a matter of balancing budget against access to premier titles.
Game Pass Standard subscribers have access to 370 games, down from the 508 available under the Ultimate tier.
This includes the exclusion of the EA Play library—an extensive collection of games like FIFA 23 and Battlefield 2042, which are bundled exclusively with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. To access these additional titles, users will need to make the jump to the $19.99 per month tier.
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Posted In: MSFT
