Xbox Game Pass Just Got More Expensive — Is It Still the Best Deal in Gaming?

I woke up to my Discord blowing up and my timeline full of salt: Xbox Game Pass is getting more expensive again, and a lot of players are heated. The subscription that built its whole identity on “the best deal in gaming” has been inching upward for the last couple of years, and now we’ve got another hike that’s pushed a ton of people to ask the big question: is it still worth it?

According to a new report from the BBC, the latest price increase is rolling out and the community’s not exactly applauding. You can read their coverage here: Xbox Game Pass price increase gets players angry. But let’s go deeper than headlines. What changed, why are players mad, and how does Game Pass stack up in 2025 against PlayStation Plus, Ubisoft+, EA Play, and just… you know, buying games?

What Actually Changed With Game Pass (And Why It Feels Different Now)

Before we talk feelings, let’s talk structure. Game Pass isn’t one plan anymore—it’s a hydra with multiple heads, and each one gives different stuff:

• Game Pass Ultimate: Console + PC library access, online multiplayer, EA Play, cloud streaming, perks, and day-one first-party releases. This is the premium tier most people mean when they say “Game Pass.”
• PC Game Pass: PC-only library, includes EA Play and day-one first-party releases, no cloud streaming.
• Game Pass Core: Replaced Xbox Live Gold; includes online multiplayer on console and a small rotating library.
• Game Pass Standard (console): Introduced after previous hikes; includes console library and multiplayer but no day-one releases and no cloud streaming. It’s basically a middle option for people who don’t care about launch-day drops.

Over the last couple of years, Microsoft adjusted pricing across these tiers and shuffled benefits—especially on console—with changes like introducing Standard (which removes day-one releases) and keeping Ultimate as the “all-in” version. The new 2025 hike just adds fuel to a fire that’s already been crackling: subscription services keep rising while the economy feels tight, and gamers are absolutely noticing.

Why Players Are Angry: It’s Not Just the Dollar Amount

Price increases always sting, but the reaction this time feels sharper for a few reasons:

• Value drift: When people signed up originally, the pitch was simple: tons of games, day-one first-party releases, and a fair price. Now the product has more tiers, some benefits have shifted around (especially on console), and it’s harder to know what you actually need.
• Library churn is real: Games rotate out. If you’re mid-playthrough of a long RPG and it vanishes, you either rush to finish or drop money to keep playing. That’s not new, but it feels worse as prices rise.
• Day-one expectations: “I’ll just play every big Xbox release on Ultimate” was a major selling point. With Standard not covering day-one releases and Ultimate getting pricier, that value calculation is more complicated than it used to be.
• Bigger bets, bigger pressure: With Activision Blizzard on board, Microsoft added heavy hitters like Diablo IV and put Call of Duty on Game Pass day one in 2024. That sounds amazing, but it also sets an expectation: if you’re going to ask for more money, the pipeline needs to stay loaded.

So yeah, players are upset—and it’s not just about the number. It’s about clarity, trust, and whether the promised value keeps landing at the time we swipe the card.

Is Game Pass Still Worth It in 2025? Let’s Do the Math

Context time. Game Pass at its best is a library + launch-day machine. If you’re actually playing new first-party drops and sampling indies every month, the math is fire. If you’re mostly grinding one or two live-service games and picking at the catalog, the math gets weird fast.

Scenario A: You chase day-one blockbusters

Think of launches like Starfield, Forza Motorsport, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and the mega one—Call of Duty landing day one on Game Pass (a major milestone in 2024). Add incoming first-party headliners like Fable and DOOM: The Dark Ages, with Gears: E-Day and others looming. If you’re already planning to play 2–3 of these big releases per year and you dabble in a handful of indies (Cocoon, Planet of Lana, Jusant, Lies of P, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment), Ultimate still saves serious money versus buying each game individually. Especially with CoD, since you’d usually pay full price annually.

Scenario B: You’re a PC-focused player

PC Game Pass remains a sweet spot if your rig is the main platform. You get day-one first-party, EA Play on PC, and a strong indie pipeline without paying for console features you don’t use. If you’re the kind of player who rotates between deep RPGs and trendy co-op hits, PC Game Pass still delivers consistent value.

Scenario C: You live in one or two games

If your main loop is Apex Legends and Fortnite, or you’re stuck in MLB The Show’s Diamond Dynasty all year, a big subscription probably isn’t the move unless you actually explore the library. For Core players who need multiplayer access and a little library, the cheaper tier might be more rational than Ultimate.

Scenario D: You’re a backlog explorer

Game Pass is a museum tour if you play across genres. The back catalog is stacked with bangers like the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, Bethesda RPGs, classic Halo, and surprise indie heat. If you love sampling and discovering games you wouldn’t buy outright, Ultimate’s “I’ll try that, too” factor is still unmatched.

The final answer depends on you. The more you explore and, especially, the more you hit day-one drops, the stronger the value—price hike or not. If you barely use the buffet, stop paying buffet prices.

Game Pass vs. The Competition in 2025

PlayStation Plus (Essential, Extra, Premium)

PlayStation did its own price hikes and tier split earlier, and the catalog strategy is different. Sony rarely drops first-party games day one into PS Plus Extra/Premium; they arrive months later (Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarök, etc.). PS Plus Extra’s catalog is legit—tons of quality third-party and Sony-published titles—but if you want big launches on day one, PS is not the same proposition as Game Pass Ultimate. Where PS wins is consistency in premium single-player hits you might’ve skipped at launch and a deep library that doesn’t rotate quite as aggressively.

Ubisoft+ and EA Play

Ubisoft+ is good if you mainline Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and The Division on day one—but it’s pricey as a solo subscription. EA Play is baked into Ultimate and PC Game Pass, which adds a nice cushion with sports titles and shooters—though brand-new EA games hit EA Play later, not day one. If your life is FIFA/FC and Madden, EA Play inside Game Pass has real value.

Nintendo Switch Online

Totally different vibe. Cheaper, but the core value is classic catalogs (NES/SNES/N64/Game Boy via Expansion Pack), cloud saves, and online play. No modern AAA day-one drops. If you’re playing Mario Kart and Animal Crossing, NSO is a must—but it’s not competing with Game Pass; it’s just a different lane.

Overall, Game Pass continues to be the only mainstream sub with frequent day-one AAA entries, which keeps it in a special spot. The flip side is that special costs money—and we’re feeling that part now.

The Day-One Factor: Still the Ace in Microsoft’s Deck

Let’s not shy away from what keeps Game Pass at the table: day-one. The moment Microsoft put an annual Call of Duty on Game Pass the same day it hit shelves, the entire equation changed. Combine that with DOOM: The Dark Ages coming from id Software, future Gears, and a rebuilt first-party slate across RPGs (Avowed, Fable), action (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle), and legacy brands (Forza, Halo), and you’ve got a pipeline that justifies a premium tier—if it keeps landing.

That last part matters. If the first-party calendar goes dry, or day-one support quietly scales back, the whole justification for higher pricing collapses. Players aren’t just paying for a library—they’re paying for confidence. Confidence that big launches will be there on day one, and confidence that the cadence won’t whiff for months at a time.

Cloud Gaming, PC vs. Console, and the Tech Reality

One of Ultimate’s quiet power features is cloud gaming. Xbox’s cloud runs on Series X server blades, typically targeting 1080p streams with adaptive bitrate. On a decent connection (say, 25–50 Mbps with low jitter), latency is totally playable for single-player RPGs, tactics games, and casual action titles. For competitive shooters and fighters—like Modern Warfare multiplayer or ranked in Street Fighter 6—you feel the delay, and it’s not ideal.

Cloud matters for discovery: you can try games instantly without a 100 GB install. Paired with Quick Resume on console, the loop becomes “try three things in 20 minutes, hard-install the one you love.” That’s secretly where Game Pass is at its best—when you’re constantly experimenting.

On PC, Microsoft’s progress is real. The Xbox app on Windows finally lets you choose install folders, verify files, and manage mods more cleanly than the early days. PC Game Pass also bundles EA Play on PC, which helps with games like Battlefield or older sports titles. If you’re building or upgrading a rig, check our gaming setup guide for tips on balancing CPU/GPU and storage (because Game Pass + 1 TB SSD = full in a weekend).

Price Hikes, Churn, and How to Play It Smart

Subscription life in 2025 is all about churn. Canceling for a month or two is normal now, and Microsoft knows it. If you’re feeling the price pressure, here’s the honest strap:

• Plan around drops: If you’re in it for day-one bangers, sub up in the months that matter—big first-party releases, a new Call of Duty, a Bethesda RPG, or a wave of indies you actually want to try.
• Downgrade tactically: If you don’t need day-one or cloud, Standard (console) or PC Game Pass might be enough. Core is okay if you just want multiplayer and a small library.
• Don’t sleep on trials and promos: Microsoft rotates offers for new and returning subs. Keep an eye out. Even a single discounted month can cover a long single-player campaign.
• Use cloud for sampling, install for grinding: Try before you download. Saves carry over, and you won’t waste bandwidth on something you drop in 20 minutes.
• Local co-op and homeshare still slap: If your household has multiple Xbox users, using the Home Xbox feature to share Game Pass benefits is still a legal, intended feature that stretches value.

And remember: you don’t have to be loyal to any one service. Cancel, come back, rotate. It’s your wallet; make services chase you.

Pros and Cons of Game Pass in 2025

What Game Pass Still Nails

• Day-one first-party releases: This is the crown. When Microsoft’s calendar hits, the value crushes.
• Discovery magic: From indie darlings to AA experiments, the “try anything” loop is still unmatched.
• Cross-ecosystem perks: Ultimate tying together console, PC, EA Play, and cloud is still a unique flex.
• Big third-party gets: Persona 3 Reload, Lies of P, Wo Long, and even entire franchises like Yakuza have dropped in. It widens the audience beyond Xbox-only fans.

Where It’s Slipping

• Rising price, fuzzier value: More money with more complicated tiers makes it harder to feel the win at a glance.
• Catalog churn anxiety: Games exiting mid-playthrough feels worse every time the bill goes up.
• Cloud isn’t “every gamer” ready: It’s great for sampling and casual play, but not a replacement for local performance in competitive titles.
• Communication gaps: When changes hit—like new tiers without day-one benefits—players need crystal-clear explanations. That hasn’t always happened.

So… Is It Still the “Best Deal in Gaming”?

Here’s my honest take: Game Pass can still be the best deal in gaming, but it’s no longer automatically the best deal for everyone. The price hikes force you to ask how you actually play games. If you’re about day-one first-party releases, dabble in indies, and bounce between console and PC, Ultimate remains a monster value. If you’re a single-game lifer or you mostly play late and cheap, it might be smarter to rotate in and out or drop to a lower tier.

Microsoft’s bet is bold. They’re aiming to keep the service premium by guaranteeing massive day-one games and a constantly refreshing library. If the 2025–2026 pipeline actually hits—Fable, DOOM: The Dark Ages, the next Gears, more Forza content, plus yearly Call of Duty entries—the sting of the price hike fades for heavy users. If the pipeline slips or the catalog feels light, the anger you’re seeing now is going to turn into churn.

For what it’s worth, I’m still in—for now. I play across console and PC, I love sampling indies in cloud before I install, and the idea of not paying full price for a new CoD every fall is huge. But I’m also going to be ruthless about pausing my sub when there’s a lull. That’s the subscription meta in 2025.

Practical Picks: Who Should Keep, Downgrade, or Cancel?

• Keep Ultimate: You play across console and PC, you want day-one first-party and CoD, you try 3–5 new games monthly, you occasionally stream via cloud, and you care about EA Play perks.
• Go PC Game Pass: You’re a PC gamer first, don’t need cloud, still want day-one first-party, and you bounce between RPGs, shooters, and indies.
• Go Standard/Core: You mostly play older or mid-cycle games, don’t care about day-one, and you primarily need multiplayer access.
• Cancel/rotate: You’re heads-down in a live-service grind or school just started and you have no time—bank the cash and come back when a big drop hits.

One More Thing: Hardware Still Matters

If you’re staying in the Xbox ecosystem, performance differences are real. On Series X, 60 fps or 120 fps modes plus faster SSD load times make the catalog feel better. On PC, stability and smoothness depend on your build and drivers—especially for the big cinematic releases that love your VRAM. If you’re looking at a GPU upgrade, we went big on future-proof questions in our RTX 5090 review. And if you’re a fighting game fan testing cloud for quick lobbies: don’t. Go wired or local. We talk footsies and frames in our Tekken 8 beginner’s guide.

Final Verdict

Game Pass is still a powerhouse, but it’s not a no-brainer blanket recommendation anymore. Price hikes demand performance—from Microsoft’s first-party studios, from the third-party deals team, and from the tech behind cloud and the PC app. If the slate stays hot and the service keeps delivering day-one giants, Ultimate remains a cheat code for gamers who actually use it. If things cool off, expect more churn and louder frustration like we’re seeing right now.

If you’re angry about the latest increase, you’re not wrong to be. Budgets matter, and the value calculation is personal. The best move is to be strategic: sub when you’ll actually cook, rotate when you won’t, and don’t pay for features you don’t use. Microsoft built Game Pass to be flexible—use that flexibility to your advantage.

Conclusion

The new price hike hurts, but the question isn’t “Is Game Pass dead?” It’s “Is Game Pass still aligned with how you game?” For a lot of us, the answer is still yes—especially if big day-one drops and a wild indie pipeline are your thing. For others, it’s time to downshift or rotate. Either way, the subscription wars aren’t slowing down, and 2025 is going to be a huge test for Microsoft’s promise to keep Game Pass premium.

Check the full report that kicked off today’s firestorm here: BBC: Xbox Game Pass price increase gets players angry. Then sound off below.

What are you doing with your sub after this price bump—keeping Ultimate, downgrading, or canceling until the next big drop? Drop your take in the comments and let’s compare strategies.