Microsoft Corp is upgrading its Xbox Game Pass subscription service with an expanded catalogue and perks, while raising the price of the top-tier plan by 50%.
"As we continue to evolve Xbox Game Pass, we’re focused on delivering more value, more benefits, and more great games across every plan,” the company said in a statement Oct 1.
The price of the highest Game Pass subscription tier, called Ultimate, will rise by US$10 (RM42) to US$30 (RM126) a month. Subscribers will get access to more than 400 games, a broader selection of titles on release day and better cloud streaming quality. Prices for the service’s other two tiers, renamed Essential and Premium, will remain the same while they receive upgrades.
Game Pass had 34 million subscribers in 2024 and sales of nearly US$5bil (RM21.03bil) in fiscal 2025.
Xbox is focusing on Game Pass as it de-emphasises the importance of its console amid shrinking sales. Xbox’s goal is to distribute its expanding network of content and services across multiple devices, including PCs, smartphones and smart TVs. Its new advertising campaigns invite gamers to play wherever they can, and especially through Game Pass.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023 for US$69bil (RM290.18bil) was seen as a way to bolster Game Pass with a large library of new games. – Bloomberg
