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3h ago

Microsoft Pauses Game Pass Ultimate Price Hike for Existing Members in Select Countries

The pause reflects local pricing rules affecting only auto-renewing accounts.

An illuminated sign for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox Game Pass gaming subscription service sits on the ceiling at the Gamescom gaming industry event in Cologne, Germany, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019. Gamescom is the world's largest gaming convention and runs from August 20 to 24. Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Screenshot: Microsoft
Screenshot: Microsoft
Image

Overview

  • Microsoft emailed subscribers in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Korea, Poland, and India that existing auto-renewing Game Pass Ultimate plans will continue at current rates for now, with cancellations triggering the new price on rejoin.
  • The Verge verified the emails, and Microsoft attributed the delay to local requirements, promising at least 60 days’ notice before any future price changes in those markets.
  • The higher $29.99 monthly rate already applies to new Ultimate sign-ups, and in the US and UK existing subscribers are still slated to switch to the new price, with November 4 cited for the US.
  • Microsoft confirmed it has removed subscriber discounts on DLC and add-ons, replacing them with Microsoft Rewards points (10% for Ultimate, 5% for Premium), and Rewards points can no longer be redeemed directly for Game Pass subscriptions.
  • Retailers including GameStop, Amazon, and Target continue selling legacy-priced Ultimate gift cards, public backlash led to a temporary crash of the cancellation page, and Bloomberg reported an internal estimate that adding Call of Duty to Game Pass reduced direct sales by about $300 million.