Microsoft is making significant changes to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service ahead of the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in October. One of the major changes includes the removal of day one releases for the basic tier of Game Pass.
Existing members of Xbox Game Pass for Console will still have access until their subscription expires, but new users seeking a basic tier package will need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Standard starting in September. This new tier will cost $14.99 per month and will include Xbox Live Gold for multiplayer gaming and access to Xbox’s back catalogue. However, it will not offer access to first-party releases on the day of their launch.
For gamers who want to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 via Game Pass on its release date of October 25th, they will need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This tier, which is the only one to provide access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, will also see a price increase from £12.99 / $16.99 to £14.99 / $19.99 per month.
While PC Game Pass will continue to offer day one releases, its price will also increase from £7.99 / $9.99 to £9.99 / $11.99 per month. Additionally, Xbox Game Pass Core, formerly known as Xbox Live Gold, will see its annual cost rise from £49.99 / $59.99 to £55.99 / $74.99, with the monthly price remaining at £6.99 / $9.99.
These changes come after Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard and the announcement in May that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 would be available on Game Pass on its launch day. The game will be playable on Xbox and PC for members of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass for Console. However, new subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Standard will not have access to day one releases.
Overall, these changes to the Xbox Game Pass subscription service offer more options for gamers but come with price increases across the board. It will be interesting to see how these changes impact the gaming community and whether they will continue to attract new subscribers to the service.