Game Pass gets cheaper as new Call of Duty titles will no longer be included on day one

The recently appointed new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Asha Sharma, has announced an immediate price cut for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, lowering the monthly cost from $29.99 to $22.99, nearly 25% off. PC Game Pass is also getting cheaper, dropping from $16.49 to $13.99 per month. Prices may still vary by region, and the changes only apply to the Ultimate and PC tiers, while Essential and Premium remain unchanged.

The bigger detail is what happens with Call of Duty though. Microsoft says Game Pass Ultimate will still include hundreds of games across Xbox console and PC, along with in game benefits, online console multiplayer, and current Call of Duty titles. But starting this year, new Call of Duty releases will no longer join Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch, which removes one of the service’s biggest selling points for roughly the past two years.

Microsoft says the pricing changes reflect player feedback. However, in my opinion this also leaves Game Pass in a different position than before. The service is now cheaper, sure, but Microsoft is also asking subscribers to accept less immediate access to one of its most important franchises, while potentially opening the door for the same thing to happen with others, which could threaten what has arguably been Game Pass’s most compelling value since its launch in 2017.