Microsoft has increased Xbox Game Pass prices for the second time in 18 months. Game Pass Ultimate (the tier that includes PC, console, and cloud gaming access) now costs £17.99 per month in the UK, up from £14.99. PC Game Pass has moved to £10.99 per month.
The increase follows a previous price rise in mid-2023 and sits in the context of a broader industry trend: Netflix, Spotify, and most subscription services have increased prices significantly over the past two years, and gaming subscriptions are not exempt.
The value question requires honest accounting.
At £17.99 per month, a year of Game Pass Ultimate costs £215.88. Against that, consider what the service actually delivers: day-one first-party releases (which at £70 each means three games equals the annual subscription cost), an extensive back catalogue, and EA Play access. If you play at least three Microsoft first-party releases per year, including titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (which launched day-one on Game Pass), the maths favours the subscription.
If you primarily play third-party titles, the calculation changes. Third-party day-one releases on Game Pass are less predictable. Titles appear and disappear from the catalogue, and the major publishers (Activision Blizzard aside, now under Microsoft) treat Game Pass as a secondary distribution channel rather than a primary one.
The honest view: Game Pass Ultimate is good value for someone whose gaming is primarily Xbox first-party and who plays consistently. For PC-only gamers with varied tastes, PC Game Pass at £10.99 is the better-value option. For someone who buys one or two games a year at full price, neither tier is clearly superior to selective purchasing.
The price is higher. The library is also larger than it was 18 months ago. Both things are true.
