Xbox Game Pass Members May Continue to Get New Game Launches for Under $30 Per Month
Following the company's latest announcement of a major restructuring of its Game Pass plans, the tech giant has clarified what these changes mean for gamers who currently hold an Xbox Game Pass for Console in effect. As stated by Xbox, subscribers who presently maintains a grandfathered Console subscription with recurring payments enabled will remain unaffected by the new pricing adjustments.
Latest Updates to Xbox Game Pass Tiers
Earlier this week, Xbox announced that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will now cost $29.99 per month, a controversial move among members. The update accompanies two renamed options—Essential and Premium—which alter the service's offerings and do not include new titles at launch. The move came after a prior change in 2024, which eliminated the Console plan in exchange for Core and Standard tiers. At that time, Xbox permitted current members on the Console plan to keep their membership at the same monthly rate of $10.99 with full benefits, such as access to day-one releases.
Subscribers who are presently subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for Console and have recurring billing activated can maintain their membership,” an Xbox spokesperson explained. “If players turn off automatic payment renewal, or their subscription lapses, they will need to select between the Essential, Premium, Ultimate, or PC Game Pass plans when rejoining.”
Benefits and Pricing Stay the Same
Benefits and monthly fee of the Console plan will not be changing, according to Xbox: “New releases are accessible with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions, as well as for subscribers who still have an active Game Pass for Console. Players who are currently enrolled in Xbox Game Pass for Console and have recurring billing enabled can keep their membership at $10.99 per month.”
When asked, a company representative did not confirm for what duration legacy Console subscriptions will stay available for existing members.
Steps to Check If You Have a Legacy Subscription
- Go to the Game Pass website and sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Select your profile name in the upper-right section of the page once signed in.
- Click on “My Microsoft Account.”
- If you find “Xbox Game Pass for Console” shown as an current plan, you can still get day-one games for $11 a month as long as automatic billing are enabled.
Make sure to check if you still have this exclusive benefit before ending your membership, as you won’t be able to get back into it once you cancel.
