Microsoft pauses Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price hike, but not for everyone
Microsoft's proposed price hikes to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service might not hit you after all.
On Oct 1, Microsoft announced a massive 50 percent price hike to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, two days before increasing prices on Xbox consoles. Fans and users were, well, furious — or, as TechRadar put it, "The outcry was startlingly vociferous."
Now, according to emails sent to some Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, the price hike will only affect new purchases in some select countries.
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"Recently, you may have heard about changes to the price of Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. At this time, these increases will only affect new purchases and will not affect your current subscription for the market in which you reside, as long as you are on an auto-recurring plan," Microsoft wrote in the email. "Should you choose to cancel your plan and repurchase, you will be charged at the new current rate. If, for any reason, there may be changes to your existing account, we will notify you at least 60 days in advance, and you will have the option to cancel or change your subscription plan at that time."
Microsoft confirmed the email to The Verge and said it is "not impacting subscribers in the U.S. or UK."
Kari Perez, the head of Xbox communications, told The Verge in a statement that the company's "recent Game Pass update remains unchanged."
"Current subscribers in certain countries will continue renewing at their existing price for now, in line with local requirements. We’ll provide advance notice before price adjustments take effect in these countries," Perez told The Verge.
This is clearly a change from what Microsoft promised gamers last week, but it's a welcome one. The problem is that plenty of customers turned off auto-billing or canceled their accounts after Microsoft's Oct. 1 announcement — and now they're stuck paying the new price.
"So basically, they just flipped a big old middle finger at anyone who turned off auto-billing or outright cancelled their account. Nice. Right back at ya, MS 🖕," one person wrote on Reddit. Many others responded in confusion.
The overall consensus from people online seems to be clear: This is very confusing and not what gamers want to think about when they log on.
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
