Xbox Game Pass subscribers will likely see an increase in price for the monthly subscription, according to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, though it’ll likely remain the same through the holiday season.
The Xbox Game Pass provides subscribers access to hundreds of games for a monthly price. The service is available on Xbox consoles, PC, and cloud services. The Game Pass costs $10 a month for the console or PC, or $15 a month for the ultimate subscription, which also includes an Xbox Live Gold subscription. This is a cost-effective deal for avid gamers, but the subscription will likely increase in the future.
Spencer confirmed in a WSJ live session that Microsoft will have to “raise the prices on certain things,” according to Verge senior editor Tom Warren.
“We’ve held price on our console, we’ve held price on games… and our subscription,” Spencer said. “I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever. I do think at some point we’ll have to raise prices on certain things…”
Spencer also confirmed the prices will be maintained through this holiday season, meaning subscribers don’t need to worry just yet. But a price increase is likely coming in the future, so prepare your wallets for the extra cost.
It’s unlikely that the prices of consoles or games will increase, leaving the Game Pass as the likely culprit. Most subscribers seem receptive to the price increase since they believe the Game Pass has plenty of value for the cost. It’s also unlikely that the subscription cost will skyrocket, but a $5 to $10 price increase seems appropriate.
